


Wishing Well

by The_Renegade



Series: All's Fair In Love And War [4]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Different Framework Universe (Marvel), Angst with a Happy Ending, Betrayal, Blood, Cheese, Cheesy, Crime Fighting, Crime Scenes, Episode: s01 Climatika | Stormy Weather, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Fighting, Fights, Happy Ending, Help, Hydra (Marvel), I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Ice Powers, Inhumans (Marvel), Kissing, Love, Love Confessions, Mutant Powers, Neck Kissing, Oral Sex, Rough Kissing, SHIELD, Science, Science Bros, Science Fiction, Sex, Superheroes, Superheros, Superhusbands, Superpowers, The Framework Universe (Marvel), Tongue-in-cheek, Trapped, Unrequited Love, Vaginal Sex, Water Powers, Why Did I Write This?, Wishing Well, Writer's Block, can't sleep, help me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 44,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28187979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Renegade/pseuds/The_Renegade
Summary: The fourth book in the All's Fair in Love and War Series takes us to Season Four of Agents of Shield. After defeating Hive, Coulson has stepped down as Director of Shield and a new face has taken over. And with Daisy gone, Asia has been thrust into the role of the face of the Inhuman Division within Shield's public face. But when the Framework is introduced, all Hell breaks loose. Who does Asia wake up as on the other side?
Relationships: Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie/Yo Yo Rodriguez, Framework AIDA/Framework Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Leo Fitz/Original Character(s), Leo Fitz/Original Female Character(s), Skye | Daisy Johnson & Original Female Character(s)
Series: All's Fair In Love And War [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/867030
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Asia carefully lay down on the table top, looking to her right to see Daisy, then her left to see Jemma, both of whom lay beside her, close enough for her to reach out and loop her pink fingers around each of theirs. Then she turned her head back up to face the ceiling. The device strapped to her head was uncomfortable, but not enough to make her move. She knew it was important - the only thing that would take her into the Framework safely. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't deny that this was probably one of the most stress-inducing situations she had been placed in. 

She knew what waiting for her on the other side of things - Leo. He was in there, somewhere, and she had to find him. If the Framework was really built around things its users wanted, she should go right to him, yea? She hoped so. That would simplify at least part of saving their team. Maybe it was one of the most important parts to her, but she'd never admit that to the others. Maybe there was already a part of them that understood it.

As she closed her eyes, Shield Agent Asia Monroe tried to think back to when things had started to turn for the worse. Was there a point in their timeline where maybe they could have changed things? Put them on a different path to a place which wasn't so volatile? Was there a place she could have gone back to and fixed things? Maybe. But it didn't matter much right now, because she couldn't time travel, she couldn't go back and undo the sins of the team. All she could do was hope she could help save things, make things _better_ , again. 

But she kept her eyes closed and let her mind drift back to a safer place, a warmer place, when she could turn to the left and see Leo sitting on a couch beside her, arm around her shoulder, keeping her safely tucked beside him. She had to hold onto those memories, so she could find him again. She had to.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Several Months Earlier_

Asia tapped the comms in her ear, ready for the briefing from Coulson and Mack about their latest attempt to capture Daisy. _Capture Daisy_. The words still felt wrong in her mind, much less tasting them on her tongue as she spoke. She tried them out again, looking at the mirror in front of her as she fixed the buttons on her gray blazer. "Sir, Agent Coulson and Agent Mackenzie have failed to capture the missing Inhuman, Daisy Johnson." She kept her face composed as she studied herself, looking for any imperfections.

Her hair was shorter than last year, cut just a bit below her shoulders, curled to look professional. Black eyeliner rimmed her eyes, making them appear larger than normal. She was still getting used to the clothing of her task right now - the blazer, the grey slacks, the heals, even if it didn't feel _normal_ , didn't feel like her usual comfortability of her mission suits.

She sighed, shaking her head. This was a part of her job now, and she had to run with it. She was following the orders of her Director, after all, even if it wasn't the Director she was used to following for these past few years. Work was work, and that was all she could leave it as. There was no point in debating the nitty gritty of it, it didn't change how things were these days. She reached out and adjusted the buttons on her blazer one more time as she waited for Coulson and Mack to hop on the line and fill her in, even though she already knew what the outcome would be. No one was catching Daisy unless she wanted to be caught.

Daisy had left after everything with Lincoln. Asia didn't blame her - she was in no position to judge. She had done similar things, too, when it felt like her world was falling apart. She understood it, to an extent, even if Asia never would have left Shield because of something that happened. Shield was the only home she had really ever known, the only one she had ever remembered. But that wasn't Daisy's life. 

"Monroe, you on this?" Coulson's voice buzzed in her ear as she ran her fingers absentmindedly through her hair, turning in the mirror to study her profile, ensure every aspect of her power suit was in place. 

"Yep, Sir, I'm here," she responded, nodding even though he couldn't actually see her. That was some tech Leo was still working on, for her full-length mirror specifically, setting it up for fully 4K video calls. It would be pretty nice, once he had the time to sit down and really work on things. It seemed like most of the time, he was assisting Radcliff these days. 

"You really need to stop calling me that, Monroe. Remember, technically, I report to you right now," Coulson's voice came over the comms again and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Yea, maybe, he did right now, at least when these were her missions. Yes, perhaps she had taken a promotion out of this whole thing, albeit not exactly voluntarily, but kicking the habit of not thinking of Phil Coulson as her leader was hard. Probably one of the hardest things she had ever done, if she sat down and really thought about it.

"Alright, _Agent_ Coulson," She responded, a light, teasing tone in her voice. "What's your status update on the latest mission then?" She knew what was coming, but her shoulders tensed slightly anyways, waiting for the disappointment to hit. 

"Earlier today at approximately 13:00 West Coast Time, we caught sight of the target," Coulson responded, his voice purposefully monotone, not trying to put too much emotion into this briefing. That was the tricky part these days, not feeling all the things which needed to be felt. "Our team moved in to intercept, but the target was able to evade our agents by utilizing her Inhuman powers in a non-lethal, non-combative manner. No agents or civilians were injured, but our team has failed to capture the target and return the missing Inhuman to base." 

Yep. There they were. The words she knew were coming. She let out a small, involuntary sigh. Not with them, she wasn't upset with them, but the entire situation was frustrating and sad. "Thank you, Agent Coulson. I appreciate the update. I will make sure the Director is informed of all of the details." The important parts to remember was Daisy hadn't hurt anyone. The important part to _remind_ people was Daisy had not hurt anyone.

"Hey Frostbite," Mack's voice, warm and familiar, appeared in her ear now, making a smile easily slip over her lips.

"Mack," She said in response, and he could hear the smile in her response, even from all these miles away. 

"Didn't think I'd go this whole call without saying hello, did you?" He quipped back, and he could hear her laugh. There wasn't enough of that sound going around these days. "I did actually have a question for you though, while you're on the line..." 

He paused, giving her the chance to respond. "Go on," she said, turning away from the mirror and grabbing up her tablet, unsure of what it was Mack could want to ask her.

"We're getting called back to base right now. I just wanted to see maybe...if you knew what was going on?" He asked, almost tentatively. "They didn't really give us any info, other than to report back." 

"No," she replied curtly, a little annoyed about that. Why were they getting called back? These were her agents, her missions to bring Inhumans in safely...even if she had to fight tooth and nail against the Director to allow anyone to hunt down Daisy. Their main priority was always finding actually Inhumans, people who were turned, who were on their own. That was the real priority. She could already picture Jeffrey Mace's face when she told him she had wasted Shield funding _again_ on the hunt for Daisy Johnson. "I'll try and find out, but you'll probably be on site before I can get any info for you." 

"Thanks, Asia, I mean it," Mack said back in ernest.

"I'll see you later," was all she said in response, clicking the comms off and pulling the bud from her ear. She had reports to type, Directors to brief. But first, she had to get to the Lab.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright now, what do you see?" Leo asked, and Asia opened her eyes, all the sounds around her dissipating, so it was just her, her thoughts, and his voice. She was in the Lab, but it was empty. Completely empty, except for the normal furniture, and for herself. 

"Wow," she said in response. "I'm here, in the Lab. Everything looks in perfect detail, Leo. You've done an incredible job with this. It all looks so...real," she glanced around, studying everything and cautiously taking a step forward. "Ope, but, um, I am about three feet off the ground," she said sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry, one second," she could picture Leo moving at his desk, typing at his computer, even though he could not hear or see any of it. "There, how's that? I had to mess around with the Y axis earlier and...well. It should be fixed now." Slowly, as he spoke, Asia found herself floating slowly until her feet touched solid ground. Or, well, what _felt_ like solid ground.

"That's perfect. It all feels...perfect," She said with a sigh, shaking her head. "Can you do this for anywhere? Could you build us a place to get away? A place...just for us? Maybe a cottage in the forest or something?" Her voice was hopeful, though she doubted that was the intent or funding behind this project. She had to think about funding quite a bit more than she cared to with this new job of hers. "It's so...quiet and peaceful here," she sighed, again, then reached up and pulled the headset off of her head, revealing the real, bustling, loud Lab around her, and, of course, her boyfriend who was grinning from ear to ear.

"How was that for some direct current stimulation?" He grinned at her, taking the headset back. "It creates other senses, like touch and smell, too. And here, come look at this," he motioned for her to come stand beside her where he could show her something on his large computer screen. "That device takes complete feedback, too. So I've just mapped your brain responses, which you can see right here." He pulled up an image of what Asia could only assume was her brain. 

"That's incredible, really," Asia said, mostly understanding what he was explaining and what she was seeing before her. "So this is what Radcliff has had you so cooped up doing, when we could be touring apartments together?" Her voice was teasing, even though a little bit of the annoyance there was rather real.

"Yep, yep, he designed almost all of that. He calls it _The Framework_ , a bit dramatic, don't you think?" he chirped back, even though he was clearly rather pleased with the product. "And, all the transcranial apparatus, that's all me." He looked down at the helmet in his hand, then back up at his girlfriend to find her smiling proudly at him. "In fact, soon, you won't even need this heavy thing. It'll all be inside your head." 

"Oh, great," Asia nodded. "That would actually be really useful. May's strike team could train virtually, so they don't sustain any real injuries. We could simulate missions using real building blueprints. Wow. I can think of so many more things, too," She gushed, the possibilities really seeming endless.

"So, speaking of, are you coming with me to Radcliff's to watch football later?" Leo asked, looking at her with what Asia might have considered a pout. She knew how seriously he took soccer, football as he called it in his handsome accent, and how much he wanted her company when she went to Radcliff's. It really did make her sad that she had to turn him down.

"I'm sorry," she frowned, reaching out and taking his hand in hers and squeezing it tightly. "I have to go...May called Coulson and Mack back, and...I wasn't informed on why." Her brow furrowed at the thought, her eyes drifting up towards the ceiling as she tried to figure out _why_. "If you see them, tell them I don't have anything new, will you?" She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before turning to go.

"I love you, Asia," He said, letting her pull away from him slowly.

She turned, looking over her shoulder and flashing a smile at her dear boyfriend. "I love you, too. If I'm done early, I'll make a stop by." As weird as things were now, he was and always had been her constant.


	2. Chapter 2

"May!" Asia shouted, trying to not appear like she was storming into the training room full of Shield Agents, even if she were. It felt wrong to take a stern tone with someone she had once thought of as a teacher, or at very least, a supervisor. But now, technically speaking, she held authority over the other Agent, especially when it came to this mission in particular. But she was upset. Maybe it was a sort of embarrassment, the feeling that May didn't think she earned her title? That she could run this op? Whatever it was, it made her stomach churn and flip flop angrily. 

She turned and glanced and Piper and the other agents in their training sweats. "You, out," she thumbed back towards the door, ordering the more junior Agent to get the rest of them out of the room, to leave her and May to their conversation. Piper, thankfully, knew much better than to hesitate.

"Asia," May said, wiping off her hands and taking off her boxing gloves. "I was wondering when you would come to find me. Figured it would be sooner." The brunette couldn't tell if that was a dig or a compliment, so she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at the woman. "I'm assuming your going to ask why I called Coulson and Mack back to base?" She sat on the table beside her, studying Asia. 

"Read my mind," Asia said back, studying May with equal scrutiny. "After all, that is my team, my mission. Some people would say making a call like that is..." Asia trailed off, not wanting to say the word out loud. She narrowed her eyes at May. "I think it isn't a good call it be changing my own team's plans without getting me involved. And, it makes me look incompetent when they radio me and ask me what's going on." 

"I made the right call, you'll see," May replied flatly. "But I see that you don't trust _me_ to do that." There was no depiction of hurt in her eyes or in her words, but Asia knew regardless. 

"You know that is _not_ what I mean," Asia said exasperated, throwing out her hands in frustration. "I don't even know _why_ you called them back yet. You haven't felt the need to inform me, which means _something_ is going on. How am I supposed to run the Inhuman division of this Agency if I don't even know what my own Agents are doing?" Her voice was pained, tired, and full of weight. She was Head of the Inhuman Division of Shield now, she was in charge of bringing her kind home, making them safe, teaching them, teaching the world that none of them were a threat once Mace decided to unveil to the world that Shield was a legitimate agency again. And that weighed on her. Her job had purpose, it had weight. She could save lives, but not if people were going around behind her back.

And maybe it was more than that. Maybe it was because she knew all along that this job wasn't meant for her. This job was meant for _Daisy_. Her best friend. Her best friend who she hadn't heard from in over six months. Daisy should be running things here, she should be leading this team of Inhumans through everything, through the Sokovia Accords. And if she hadn't left, Asia knew there was no way she would be the one holding this job. Daisy was a natural born leader, she couldn't hold a candle to that. Maybe she felt insecure about it, not that she would ever admit it out loud to anyone.

"So what did you call them back to do?" Asia asked, narrowing her eyes as she regained her composure, crossing her arms back over her chest, waiting for an answer. What answer would justify this, could justify this? This was blatant betrayal of her trust. 

"I have a lead," May said finally after a moment. Asia quietly took a step closer to her, so both of them could drop their voices as May revealed whatever she had done. "A lead on Daisy, out of Los Angeles. It was a good one, I know she's out there Monroe. So I sent them to go bring her back, before the military does something worse." 

Asia stopped for a moment, closing her eyes and rubbing two of her fingers against her temple, trying to calm herself down. "You realize I have to report on this, right?" She asked May calmly and quietly. "I have to explain to the Director why my team is out there in LA. They can't be there without reason."

"Why do you think I hid it from you?" May asked flatly. "I know he puts you and Simmons under regular lie detector tests. If you knew, he would know. I didn't want that for them while they try and run this risky mission."

"Yes, _risky_ , that's the entire point I was trying to make. Even if Daisy is out there, sending them like this is risky," Then she gave May a flat look. "And honestly, do you think I'm really worried about the Shield lie detector tests? I've lied and passed them before, I'll lie and do it again. I learned how to pass those things from Natasha Romanoff, I am not worried about that at all." She made a damn good point.

May paused for a moment, before nodding. "Alright then, now what?" 

Asia sighed, shaking her head. She didn't think she had sighed this much since their last department head meeting. "I will, unfortunately, _have_ to document this blatant insubordination. If not, Mace isn't going to understand why I allowed it. He trusts me, May, for whatever reason. If I want to stay in the inner circle, stay where the information flows, he _has_ to trust me." She closed her eyes for a moment and reflected them, before opening them and flashing a stern gaze to May. "You will take your strike team to LA, and pull Phil and Mack out, with the Zephyr and their team. By force or whatever means are necessary. And then you will report back to me."

"Yes Ma'am," May said, and the two locked eyes, fully understanding one another. Asia nodded, then turned and strode out of the room. When she saw the other four agents waiting outside she sighed and nodded, signaling they could head back in. She had a whole day to plan out now, and several reports she would have to write.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Look up at that one, Asia. What star is that?" Her father asked as she sat tucked into his shoulder, both of them looking up at the stars above their patio. Even by age three, this was one of her favorite places to be, out here with him, watching the sky. He turned to grin down at her, waiting for her reaction. She was a smart thing, for how young she was. She would be brilliant, once she really started schooling. Shield would benefit from her._

_"That's not a star, silly," the tiny, four year old replied. "That's Jupiter. I'm not a baby, I know what a planet is," even at that age, Mr. Monroe knew his daughter was going to grow up full of sass and strength out there in a hard, difficult world. And he was proud of it._

__

_"Give me another one!" She giggled, kicking her feet back and forth, looking back and forth between her father and the night sky. Suddenly, there was something wrong. His face was starting to twist, turn, blood coming out of the side of his mouth. Asia sat up, eyes wide, staring at her father and he began to melt in front of her. She grabbed his shoulders, trying to shake him out of it, when suddenly his eyes snapped open, blood red, whirling on her._.

Asia let out a scream, jerking up in bed to find Leo's arms wrapped around her as he was gently shaking her, trying to wake her out of the nightmare. She was drenched in sweat, shaking. She hadn't dreamt about her family like that in a long time. A long, long time.

"Hey, hey, love, is everything ok?" Leo asked, cupping her face in his hands and searching his eyes, worried. "What happened?" Even if it were just a dream, he wanted to make sure she was alright, understand what was going on, how he could help. 

"Just...a dream," she said, shaking her head, trying to force the thoughts out of her head. "About my dad. It was...weird. I haven't...haven't dreamt like that in a long time." She shuddered, shaking her head and turning to look at him, a thankful smile on her face as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, for being here. Better than waking up to a nightmare alone." 

"I'll always be here, love," He said, kissing the top of her head, squeezing her tightly to him. "Anytime you need me."


	3. Chapter 3

It was later that day that Asia was called to assist with a tour. Yes, a tour. It was with the U.S Congress, but regardless, a sort of...let down, when it came to what her job was. What an asset she was. She didn't need to be giving tours, she needed to be out there saving lives. She was headed towards the Lab when Jemma rushed by her, giving her a wild look, and instantly, Asia was on her side, only having to jog to keep up with her running pace. 

"What is it?" She asked as they moved through the halls, taking the stairs down towards the level where the containment chambers were.

"One of the men captured last night," Jemma said in between breaths. "He seems to be having some sort of adverse affect. We need to get him sedated before he kills himself." Yea, that did seem like a pretty good reason to be double timing it down these empty halls. That meant whatever was happening to these men....wasn't caused by an Inhuman. If it were, the containment chambers should have nullified the effects.

As the two Agents rushed into the viewing area of the chamber, May was standing there, watching in horror, as a middle aged Asia man was slamming his forehead repeatedly against the glass, hard enough that blood was coating the surface. He was saying something, mumbling, over and over again. He would kill himself if he kept up the action, and it probably wouldn't take long.

Asia sidestepped, letting Jemma past her as the scientist rapidly pressed buttons at a small keyboard next to a pair of sliding glass doors. They would need to get him sedated before they had him moved to a different room so this one could be cleaned. Something was wrong here, really wrong. As the gas started to fill the chamber and the man sunk slowly to the floor, Asia turned to look for May, glancing over her shoulder only to find that the woman was missing completely. 

"That was...weird..." Asia said, turning to look at Jemma, brows furrowed in concern. "Is he going to be alright?" She nodded towards the chamber before her.

"He...should be, I hope," Jemma said with a sigh. "Let's get to the Lab. There's a team on the way to move him and get this all cleaned up. But I need to record what happened." She looked tired, Asia noted. More tired than usual, like the additional stress of the leadership role she had taken on was wearing on her. 

The two women were the only ones from their original band of agents who were promoted in such a fashion. It had surprised Asia, at first, but given the two roles they filled she supposed it made sense. Jemma had already essentially run the Lab, now she just had the title for it. And without Daisy, Asia was the most suitable for her position. It wasn't as if they were going to put someone who _wasn't_ Inhuman in charge of that division. So, while it had seemed weird at first, it had made sense in the end. No one seemed to have too hard of feelings about it. 

The two women made their way to the Lab, chatting idly about Asia and Leo's search for an apartment building. Jemma wanted them to throw a housewarming event when they finally settled on the place, but Asia was still on the fence if she wanted to let so many people into a place which was meant just for the two of them. She let Jemma debate over it, and half heartedly participated, even though she knew she wouldn't make such a final decision without Leo present, anyways. Plus, they hadn't actually landed on a place let. Both had very particular things they had in mind for what their first apartment would be like.

But when they entered the Lab, a familiar voice called out both of their names. "Agent Simmons, Agent Monroe, there you two are," She would have recognized Coulson's voice anywhere. And then...she remembered. The Tour. She looked up to see the entire U.S. Congress standing around a table with Agent Coulson and Director Mace. 

"Ah yes, here are two of my absolute favourite agents," Mace said, turning to face them, smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was annoyed, that they were late, even if he would never outright say it. Director Mace was far too kind for that. He always brushed aside the things which bothered him, at least as far as Asia had noticed. "This is Agent Simmons, Special Advisor of Science and Technology. And Agent Monroe, Head of Inhuman Recruitment, Education, and Development." He introduced the two of them in turn, still smiling all the while.

"Hello," Asia smiled, giving a small wave, plastering her own pleased look over her face. She had to look pleased in front of these people - they helped determine Shield's funding, even if they weren't fully open to the public eye just yet. That would be changing soon, and they needed to have people backing them. "Sorry we're late," She said again after a moment, realizing all these people had been waiting for the two of them. "We just had a discussion to finish up." She clasped her hands in front of her and smiled politely. 

"Well, we're in good hands, because the United States Congress is used to waiting around," Mace turned to face them, grinning as he joked. The others laughed along with him jovially, in a way that made Asia uncomfortable. All of this seemed rather insincere. "Although, we aren't usually waiting around in Washington for people who are _honestly_ changing the world." He turned back to face the two of them.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Jemma said with a modest smile. She glanced at Asia who smiled as well, the two nodding together. After all, they didn't exactly want all these government officials knowing what they were doing down in the containment chambers. That this situation was starting to turn towards the side of _out of hand_.

"Well, why don't you go ahead and tell us what you two were working on," Mace smiled cheerily, a smile that seemed real to anyone who didn't know him. But to Asia...it still didn't seem sincere. He seemed annoyed, understandably so, but he didn't know he was pushing at something he probably didn't want uncovered.

"We were just down in the containment chambers doing some...testing," Asia said, cheery smile on her lips. Nothing wrong here. Nothing to see. Just a usual day of making sure the chambers were up to par.

"Ah yes, that _is_ an important task," Mace said, nodding along as he met the eyes of several Congress members. "The chambers are some of Shield's most critical advancements. Each room uniquely uses adaptive materials to contain the enhanced individuals brought in by Agent Monroe and her taskforce. Each chamber actually neutralizes their powers." 

"Neutralize powers?" One of the congressmen said, studying Mace. "That does sound incredibly beneficial. I'd love to see them on this tour." As he spoke, Coulson moved to stand beside Asia and Jemma, looking at the computer screen that the two agents had been physically blocking with their bodies. He caught glimpse of the man, still passed out, being moved out of the room. 

"Ah yes, what a great idea," Mace said, grin widening. If the people wanted this on their grand tour, they would certainly get it. This was the kind of thing that created positive talk, that created backing. 

"Maybe not the _best_ idea though," Coulson cut in, a pleasant smile on his face. Though, as the two men locked eyes, Director Mace knew something was afoot. 

"Give me one moment, please," Mace said, nodding at the Congress, before moving to talk with his agents, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Alright, I guess not then. What's the deal?" He looked between the three of them, waiting for someone to speak up. 

"There was...well, an incident," Jemma admitted with a quick nod and a shrug. "There was blood everywhere. Not a pretty sight. Not a very good time for a tour." She spoke earnestly, albeit quietly. The last thing she needed was the government officials overhearing her before they could come up with a plan. 

Mace nodded, and Asia could see the calculations whirring in his eyes as he thought quickly and on the fly. Whatever he was going to come up with would have to capture their guests' attention enough to distract from the containment chambers. Director Mace chuckled, turning back around, pleasant smile on his face once more. "Turns out, it was a great idea. But, Coulson here had an even better one. Who here wants to step inside one of our Quinnjets?" Nearly everyone in the room smiled and nodded instantly.

As their new Director lead the American Congress out of the room, Asia let out a sigh, sinking against the desk beside her. The crisis, for the moment, was averted.


	4. Chapter 4

"You're a monster," May said, as she threw a punch at Mace, which he caught easily. She had just tried to hit him over the head with a metal bar, and nothing had happened. It had bounced off his skull as if it were nothing. May had lashed out him instantly, trying to take him down. Something was wrong with her, really wrong. She was acting like a rabid animal.

"I prefer the term 'Inhuman,'" he said, as he nodded down at her, and the words ricocheted off of Asia's head, her mouth dropping open in shock. He had never told her that. She was in charge of his Inhuman division, and her own _Director_ was Inhuman, too. And he had never said a thing. Not to her, not to anyone that she knew of. The shock rippled through her as she watched Mace lift May off the ground with a strength that only _could_ be Inhuman. "I am sorry about this, Agent May," he said, as he sighed, the hit her head against one of the brick walls, only as hard as it would take to knock her unconscious.

Asia tried to stop Mace before he left the room, but he didn't give her the time. She had questions, a lot of them, but apparently now was not the time for answers. If Mace had been an Inhuman all along, and was hiding it, there had to be a reason why. She planned on getting to the bottom of that. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I saw Daisy, Asia," Leo said, rubbing a hand over his tired face as the two sat in the Lab together, Asia perched on her desk, legs crossed. It was late in the evening, when he and Mack had gotten back, so no one else was around to bother them, or seeing a Head of a department acting completely casual and what some might consider unprofessional. Her brow furrowed, both at this news, and the way he looked exhausted. She reached out, placing a small hand on his shoulder and squeezing at the tension gently, kneading some of it out.

"She was distant, cold. She's turned her back on all of us," he shook his head, and for the first time in a long time, Asia could see some of the age and weathering showing in his face. This poor man was exhausted. "We've all been through so much. But none of us ever _left_." The word was sharp, stabbing, cold, and it filled the pit of Asia's stomach with regret. 

"I did," she said after a moment of silence between the two of them. She understood why Daisy was doing what she was doing, probably better than anyone here. Two years ago, that had been her, isolated and alone. "I abandoned everyone and I went on some sort of revenge rampage under the guise of following orders. And you weren't upset at me the way you seem to be with her." She looked away, eyes drifting off down the Lab. She wasn't sure she wanted to see whatever expression would be on his face.

Reaching up, he placed his hand over hers, the one which rested atop his shoulder. "It's not the same, love. I understand how you think you need to sympathize and take her side, but...it's not. You never left the team. You never sided with a vigilantly murderer. And you never made members of our own team turn against us, lie to us, hide things..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Wait...she's doing what now?" Asia said, turning back to look at him, brow furrowed in confusion.

"She's got...well, she's got Yoyo stealing her bone repair pills and having secret meet ups to check in," Leo admitted, knowing this information was going to hurt her, both from a professional perspective, and from the place of someone who considered herself to be a friend of both these people. Asia sat up straight now, doing a double take, eyes wide in disbelief. "You're going to see it in the full report Mack and I give tomorrow," Leo finished with a sigh, squeezing her hand again supportively.

"That's....I'm not sure what to say," Asia said after a moment, shaking her head slowly. "I'm at a bit of a loss, if I'm being honest. I guess...I'll just have to read the report in the morning then." She looked down at him, the two looking eyes for a moment. He watched the storm roll through her gaze, hurt, angry, afraid. He grabbed her hand and stood up, pulling her to her feet and then wrapping her tightly in a hug, letting her fall against him, even as tired as he was. She needed him right now. 

"Let's go to bed," he said, rubbing a hand through her hair, gently combing out any tangles, before kissing her forehead. He met her gaze once more, and she looked slightly better, slightly more _ok_ , given the circumstances. Asia looked at him, biting her lower lip and nodding. Bed sounded good right now. Sleeping beside her partner, the person she knew she could trust no matter what, could cure everything. Or at very least, make her ready to face the next day.

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It was the next night when the EMP hit.

 _Do I have your attention now?_ the distorted voice spoke over the TV, lighting set up so that no one could see the man's face. _The blackout in Miami was just the first taste of what's to come. We will continue this onslaught, city by city, hour by hour, until our voices are heard. Until our demands are met. We are the Inhuman Resistance._

"Oh jesus fucking christ," Asia said, dropping her head to slam on the table. Her life, her job, they were all about to get so much harder. 

_We will no longer allow our kind to be treated as freaks by society,_ the voice continued to prattle on from the screen in front of her, as she and Director Mace watched from his office. They had just been in the middle of a meeting when the emergency broadcast came on in front of them. _Unless the governments of the world end Inhuman Registration and allow us to live in peace, we will use our powers to fight you. Until the end._ And then the broadcast cut off, the room dimming around them. 

Asia lifted her head and looked at Director Mace, eyes wide. "That's not us," she said adamantly, shaking her head. "I don't know what intel your other teams can dig up, but I have recruited Inhumans all over, and no one has said anything about this." She looked him dead in the eyes, hoping he would believe her. This wasn't something the Inhumans would do, Asia knew that in her bones. But guy instincts weren't really something you could go on for a situation like this. She needed facts, cold hard facts.

Mace sighed, looking at her, then he turned to one of his men. "Get Agent Fitz in here, now."


	5. Chapter 5

Fitz did a full evaluation on the broadcast and was ready to give a report. Together, he, Mace, Asia, and Mace's men made their way out of Mace's office, heading down to brief the team. "I need to know if this is some lone nutjob or if the Inhumans are really organizing," Mace said, directing his statement at Leo. 

Asia cut in for a response regardless, not caring who the hell the statement was directed at. "Director. You pay me well to be damn good at what I do. I'm telling you, it's _not_ the Inhumans." Her stance was firm, regardless of whether or not the Director would heed it.

Leo's lips were pressed into a thin line, as he was in a bit of a tricky situation here. While he wanted to agree with Asia, there were still facts he had to point out. "The broadcast was rather untraceable, even for me and Shield tech. It really was quite sophisticated, which easily rules out a nutjob as well as a lone attacker. You need someone smart and well organized for a broadcast like the one we witnessed." He pushed past one of Mace's men, so it was he and Asia walking alongside the Director, rather than behind.

"Alright, what about the blackout?" Mace questioned as the continued to wind through the building. "Was it traced back to an Inhuman power source, or was sabotage the answer?" This was the truly pressing question. If the team had been able to find the source, they could rule out Inhuman involvement. 

Mack stepped in pace with them as the team rounded the corner, quickly picking up on the conversation. "Sir, there was only one Inhuman possible of short circuiting an entire city like that. Lincoln Campbell. And he was one of the good guys." A somber note fell over the team as they moved, all remembering back to the last time they saw or heard from Lincoln. Asia's brows knit together in concern.

"I know," Mace said with a sigh, pausing his brisk walk for a moment to look them all in the eye and nod. "And we owe him a great debt. But, there's no one else out there with similar powers?" His gaze fell on Agent Monroe as they kept moving now. If anyone knew, it best be her. She was in her position for a reason, after all.

"There could always be one we haven't found yet, someone recently exposed who went through their transformation," Asia admitted with a sigh. "But, as far as recording and reporting goes, no, no sign of anyone with powers remotely on that spectrum. Sir, this was not the Inhumans," she reiterated again, trying to stress how deeply she felt on this one. She had people everywhere. Someone would have reported in already if there was actually a rogue band of Inhumans running around. 

"It's most likely an EMP device," Leo said, supporting her statement. They locked eyes for a moment and she nodded. It had better be a damn EMP device or she was in for a world of trouble. 

"That makes this a credible threat then," Mace said with a frown creasing lines across his cheeks. "They could use a device like that to black out more cities." That was a terrifying thought, to say the least. Here they were, on the brink of announcing their return to the world, and this dramatic, untraceable event was going down.

"Yes, completely. If there is more than one EMP device, they could easily target more cities, tonight, or whenever they wanted, really," Leo explained the unfortunate truth to the lot of them.

"This is a PR nightmare," one of Mace's advisors, Burrows? Asia thought his name might be, but she wasn't entirely certain. They worked in two very different departments after all. "We're only a month from introducing Shield back to the public," he explained, trying to get the Director's attention on him.

"I think there's a little more at stake here than some bad press," Asia said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Like the fact that whoever is doing this is blaming Inhumans, an already ostracized group. You think this is bad press for Shield? Think about the press for _us_ for a second," she said, raising an eyebrow, trying to get this man to picture for the first time in his life what it was like to be Inhuman, to be _other_. 

"Alright, Burrows," Mace said, clapping a supportive hand on his shoulder. "We have you in Public Relations for a reason. It's your job to worry about bad publicity. So, let's just all take a quick moment and calm down." He nodded at all of them as he demonstrated taking in a deep breath and exhaling. "Remember, a team divided is a team defeated," he repeated one of his mantras. 

"We have an Inhuman asset in Miami," Asia said after everyone had nodded, arms still crossed over her chest. "Elena Rodriguez. Mack here was in contact with her an hour ago, but we lost that contact. We haven't been able to get her back on the line...if this situation escalates..." she trailed off, letting Mace fill in the blank himself.

"Then we need to get it de-escalated, pronto," Mace nodded, locking eyes with his Head of Inhuman Recruitment, Education, and Development. She knew what she was doing. "That's why I want you, Fitz, Mack, and Phil in the air, asap. I expect you to be enroute to Miami within the hour. And once you have it under control, I want you on a separate jet to my location, Monroe. We have some damage control to do."

"Understood," Asia replied with a curt nod. "I'll keep you in constant update of the situation as it develops." She looked at Mack and Leo, and they both nodded curtly at her, ready for their orders. "Let's go get the plane ready, and go find Coulson."

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She was on the flight in the Zephyr towards Miami when the blackout in London hit the news. Asia sighed, rubbing her eyes with exhaustion before looking back down at the tablet in her hand. Today was stemming up to be one of the longest in her entire career, and only because of the span of two hours worth of events. Her messenger on the tablet pinged, and she tapped it, bringing up two unread messages from Director Mace.

The first was a briefing, long, something she didn't necessarily want to read in the company of others. The second was a simple, one sentence message, with an invite to an event. _Ever been to a White House Press Conference?_ the email read out simply. And the event was detailed, with location, as that night. Man, she was going to need a kiwi Redbull before the night was over, that much was for sure. She tapped Accept on the message, firing her RSVP off into the ether. As soon as she had, the report from L.A. came in. Blackout. Another EMP.

The brunette let out a groan of frustration, switching off her tablet and tucking it into her bag. The hits just kept coming today, it seemed. Leo, Mack, and Coulson all turned to her, perplexed looks on their faces. Leo reached out and rested a hand on her knee. "Everything alright?" He asked her, concern coloring his face.

"Yea it's..." she sighed, pushing back her hair with one hand and sighing. "A lot of it's classified. But because of what we're doing, you might as well know at least this..." She looked around at all of them evenly, making sure they could see the gravity of the situation playing out on her face. "EMPs have hit London and Los Angeles. They weren't kidding when they said they would continue to take out major cities. They are forcing us to play our hand, so we need to find whoever is doing this in Miami and put an end to it."

She could see the reaction on all of their faces as they took in her news. "So, we might as well turn on the action news and see what they're saying," she said with a sigh, standing up and flicking on a TV mounted to the wall near by. She had a feeling it wasn't exactly going to be good news. When people got the chance to blame Inhumans, they often did. It was the easy way out, to blame someone who didn't look the same, didn't act the same, someone who was different. It was certainly much easier than trying to understand things that were different, even it was wrong. It was very wrong. Yet, humans had been doing it for years.

A voice Asia recognized all too well filled the space around them. _It was only a matter of time before this happened, really_. It was Senator Ellen Nadeer. Asia turned away, shaking her head. This woman, while Asia respected her for being a POC and a woman in a high government position, she certainly did _not_ respect her opinions on Inhumans. _We can no longer pretend that the Inhuman Threat doesn't exist. If today hasn't been enough proof of that, I don't know what will be. Each and every Inhuman is a lethal weapon._ Her words came out spiteful, almost vindictive. 

_And now,_ she continued, _those weapons are aimed directly at us. This is an act of war. This is an act of domestic terrorism. Unless we take a stand right now and fight back, while we still have the chance, then we are going to be complicit in our own extinction._

Asia shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her left foot angrily. She glared back at the screen over her shoulder. It was ridiculous, the things she was saying. She was only going to make things worse for everyone. They needed to touch down, and they needed to do it now.


	6. Chapter 6

Moscow was added to the list moments later. Five cities in just as many hours. The world was starting to spin around her, even as they touched down outside of Miami, making sure they wouldn't be in the radius of whatever was going on. And each city all had one thing in common...they had relocated Inhumans to live in those cities. Yet, Asia still refused to believe it. There was no way one of her own was behind this, and especially no way she wouldn't have heard of it by now, from a source. If she let herself believe Inhumans were behind this attack, she would really actually lose it. 

She was thankful to have Leo with her. Not only for his support, but also because he was providing hard facts. Like the fact that whoever was behind this was using actual EMP devices, which he discovered when analyzing the radius of each event. Spoiler alert, they were all the exact same size. And, he could locate it, trace it, and disable it, ulitimately leading them back to whoever had set it off in the first place. She had to stop herself from throwing herself into his arms when he announced this and showering him in grateful kisses.

"Phil, you drive," Asia said, as they headed to the loading bay of the Zephyr. She felt weird, giving him orders, but he sort of...worked for her now? The words didn't even sound right to think them. She climbed into the passenger seat, adjusting the zipper on her skin-tight suit, the black one with thin veins of blue accenting it. It was good, comfortable, flexible. Leo and Jemma were constantly improving and upgrading it to make it even better. She considered herself lucky.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Coulson said, giving her a nod, thin smile on her lips. He understood this must be rather awkward for her, yet she wasn't letting it get in the way of her job, or of the task at hand. He always knew Asia Monroe would do well in a leadership role. She was the calm in the storm. Hell, sometimes she _was_ the storm, and she was a figure people could trust and get behind. Mace was right, elevating her rank, even if it was something she acted like she didn't want.

After they got on the road, Asia gave Phil the okay to give them an updated brief based on what they had reviewed on the plane. "Alright, we're about ten minutes out from the location, a hotel that Agent Rodriguez was at during last point of contact. She will most likely still be there."

"The plan is to get her out and to safety first, then let Leo finish up the job by leading them to the EMP and taking it down," Asia concluded, glancing in the rearview mirror and catching Leo's gaze. The couple exchanged a brief smile in the reflection, before turning their focus back to the mission.

"There is one thing that's confusing me about all this," Mack admittedly, frown creasing his brow. "EMPs are only supposed to affect electronics that are running at the time the pulse goes off. Yoyo couldn't find a single phone that was turned off to touch base and update us on the situation? Seems a little weird to me." 

"That is...a bit odd," Asia admittedly with a nod, staring out the window as they drove through empty streets. Streets which would usually be swamped with cars.

"Does our science department in the backseat care to weigh in on this one?" Coulson quipped, glancing at Leo in the mirror, watching him for a moment as he fiddled with his devices in hand once more.

Leo shrugged, still mostly focused on making sure his tools were perfect. "She's at a Bachelorette Party. She's probably just busy having a good time. Dancing and drinking with all those sexy Latino guys, yea?" He glanced to his right, grinning at Mack.

Mack shook his head, chuckling. "No way, Turbo, I'm not taking the bait that easily." 

Just in time to change the subject, the tablet in her bag started to buzz. Asia pulled it out, propping it up on the dash in front of them and answering Director Mace's video call. "Hello," she answered with a thin smile. "Still nothing to report, I told you I'd be in contact when there was." While she was slightly irritated, she kept the smile plastered to her face the entire time. 

"Well I wanted to give you an update on the situation going on globally. We're looking at six total cities now," Mace said through the device, meeting her gaze. Asia's heart fell a little and she blinked twice. Six? Six cities? That was bad. "Yea, I figured you might want to be up to speed on that," Mace replied calmly. "We're also looking at a lot of looting going on. People are starting to demand action."

"I've already got teams headed to every location, I dispatched them when I was still at the base," Asia explained. "They're pulling our Inhuman assets out and stopping anything they see on the way. We're just about to enter the blackout zone down here now." She hoped they still had enough time to stop this, to get ahead of it, to clear the Inhuman name.

"Monroe, you need a win for this one. _We_ need a win for this one. You know that. I've been on the phone with the President all night. He says that if we don't have answers soon, he's going to do so-" he crackled out and the screen went black. At the same time, their car rolled to a stop, refusing to budge, lights dying so they couldn't even see the street in front of them.

Asia took the tablet and set it down in her lap. Something was...wrong. This wasn't normal. She looked back at Leo, their eyes catching again. "What happened?" She asked him, and only him. In times like these, she knew he would have a reliable answer for her. He could paint a picture of things and make them make sense again.

"We must have been hit by another EMP," Leo explained, nodding steadily at her. "It must have pulsed when we crossed into the blackout zone. So...that's our best bet." 

"Yea, that's definitely it," Coulson sighed, gripping his left wrist. "I'm stuck here...awkwardly enough. Can I get a little help?" Asia looked at his arm, forgetting for a moment that it was one designed by her boyfriend, that it wasn't real. In the next moment, she was unbuckling her seatbelt and climbing out of the car, into the humid night air, and walking around to the other side of the car to give her old boss some assistance.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Worthless, worthless, ah bloody hell, it's all worthless," Leo cursed, slamming something in the trunk of the sedan. Asia had just finished helping Coulson out, so she turned and walked briskly to the back of the car, leaning against the side, concerned gaze falling on Leo Fitz. 

"What's wrong?" she asked, lips pressed into a thin line, watching him with full eyes. 

"It wasn't just a second pulse," He explained, running his hands through his hair frustratedly. "It is an ongoing series of them. Which means it's actually a continuous pulse EMP, not just one reactivated, which means it's _extremely advanced_." The words flew out of him like a gale force wind. "So none of our tech is going to work," he jabbed a finger accusingly at the devices in the trunk. "None of it." 

"Well it's a good thing we brought an extremely advanced scientist with us," Asia said back, giving him a calm, patient smile. He paused for a beat, eyes resting on her, drinking in her faith in him, and nodded. "So, what's your plan to find the damn thing without all your gadgets then? I know you have one, I can tell by that look in your eye." 

"We're going to do it old school," he replied with a shake of his head. "Not that we have much a choice. We _have_ to do it old school, nothing else will work." He dove back into the trunk with renewed fervor, gathering the supplies he leaded and putting them in a hardback case. 

"I guess we better start walking then," Asia said, glancing at her other teammates and giving them all a nod. "We want to stop this thing before the President _does something_ , whatever that may be." Even though her tone came off as playful and joking, she really wasn't certain she wanted to wait around and find out what that might be. They had a job to do, and it looked like they were going to be walking to do it.

After all, they still had a teammate to save. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Asia could hear the shouting from inside. Whoever these people were, they were looking for Yoyo, looking for any Inhuman in there, and from the sound of things, they had found her. Asia closed her eyes, seeking a water source, anything, something she could use as a sign that help was coming. _A Fountain_. Bingo. With a hush of breath, she could feel the fountain starting to ice over as they entered the hotel lobby. She just hoped they weren't too late. 

Coulson pulled out a flare gun and fired it forward, dispersing the crowd in front of them, the Bachelorette Party guests running and shrieking in terror. This certainly could not have been anywhere close to how they had expected their night to go. Action? Sure, but not _this_. Asia tensed her muscles, the feeling of the peak right before a fight coming on. She was ready, and incredibly ready to beat the shit out of whoever was hiding behind the fake mask of an Inhuman uprising. "Let's get it, boys," she said with a catlike grin, and then in a wink, she was gone.

She materialized out of the water, causing a shout by one of the nearby men. There were a dozen or so in the room, and the distraction was enough to provide Mack, Coulson, and Leo a clean entrance. In a blink of an eye, Asia was throwing herself out of the fountain, grabbing one of the men by the head and shoving him down, knocking him hard into the concrete base. Blood pooled on the stone, and she dropped his body to the ground. There was still more to do. 

She watched for a second as Mack and Coulson tag teamed one of the men. Asia took a charge from another, bending over so he rolled right off her back, right into the fist of a punch Leo had primed to throw. Together, the two fought, back to back, using the momentum of one another, with a little additional help of Asia's ice, to take out four of the armed men without a second thought. It was like dancing, the two of them fighting together. 

"Don't stop or she's dead!" One of the men shouted, and Asia's head flicked up, eyes landing on the Bride to Be, held at knifepoint by the last standing man. In a flash, the knife was no longer in his hand, and Yoyo was standing in front of him, waggling the knife back and forth, tongue out. He was finished with a swift punch to the face from Coulson, body slumping to the floor with a dull thud. That was the lot of them, taken out faster than Asia had time to even think about it. Leo wrapped an arm around her shoulder, still breathing hard, and planted a kiss on the side of her head. They had done a good job, they all had. And Yoyo was safe, which was the most important part. 

Leo made quick work of zip tying each man's hand and feet together, immobile, waiting to be taken in to custody...or beaten up to get a little extra intel, if Asia started thinking about it too long. They didn't deserve to just get to leave, even if their prison sentence was bound to end in "for life." They had still put an entire half-human half-alien race in danger. The world was never going to forget this event, there were people who would never not believe it was the Inhumans. It would be irreparable. 

Asia moved to stand by Yoyo, Mack, and Coulson. "Yoyo," she greeted with a flat smile. "I'm glad you're safe and that we got here in time. But...you and I will have some talking to do later." She gave her a meaningful gaze, letting her know the jig was up. She knew now that Yoyo was not only lying from them, but also stealing, and also helping her best friend stay hidden. That was the worst part, the part that stung the deepest, that had burrow into her heart and left a mark. Yoyo was helping Daisy stay gone. 

"So, any idea who these creeps were? Why they were here?" Coulson asked, looking at the battered and bruised men all lined up next to the fountain. 

"They were here for me, that was made pretty obvious pretty quick," Yoyo said with a shake of her head. Asia was once again thankful she had activated her other teams so soon and sent them to pull out their assets in the other blacked out cities. "They knew I was in Miami. They knew I'd be at this hotel. How? Aren't we supposed to be protected people now that we signed up to be on this list?" Her gaze flickered around all of them, upset and a little afraid. If they had been able to find her so easily, who knew what else they were capable of? Or what else they were up to right now?

A sinking feeling filled Asia's stomach. "Search them, now," She ordered Mack and Coulson. She had a feeling she knew who these people might be, or at least who they were given their marching orders from. A group they had seen before, who Shield, and even Daisy, had been putting so hard to put down. She just hoped she was wrong, that she was barking up the wrong tree. That this group of organized men before them were just a group of fanatics, on a mission to kill Inhumans out of fear, not because they were biased and hateful.

Because if she was wrong, then they were dealing with the Watch Dogs.


	7. Chapter 7

Other than the mounting piles of suspicion, the tattoo on one of the men's' hands gave it away. A small, black dog's head. Yea, this was the Watch Dogs alright. Asia had to get on the phone with Mace ASAP for an update, but with the EMP still out there, that wasn't happening any time soon. They had proof now, that this wasn't an Inhuman organized attack - it was the exact opposite. It was the act of a rogue group of people trying to create strife and form a rift between humans and Inhumans. Unfortunately, it was probably working.

"Here, look at this," Yoyo said, handing her something from one of the men's pockets, a folded sheet of white paper. As Asia unwrapped it, she recognized the names and locations right away. A series of relocated Inhumans, all who were registered under the Accords, and where they were staying. This was exactly what she was afraid of when they were forced into signing. This wasn't people being protected, this was people being outed. "This is directly from the Inhuman Registration List," she advised her team. "It looks like every time an asset is on the move, they get an updated copy. Look, Yoyo, you're on here, and it shows the Miami location. They knew you would be here this week specifically." So now it was a matter of figuring out how they got it. 

"Well, good thing I've got a solution to all of this, and we can get things cleared up right away," Leo said, squeezing her arm as he passed her, heading for a rack of wine bottles and began pulling out the corks. "I need someone to fetch me some bowls of water and needles, too, please," he said, providing orders in the politest way possible. 

"You're....making a compass?" Asia asked, brow furrowing, not really understanding how knowing true North was going to help them out of this entanglement.

"Yes, if we use a few of them in tandem, I can find the location of the EMP," He grinned over at her, pretty proud she had recognized what it was he was trying to do. So that was how, mere minutes later, they found themselves several floors up on a large open patio, calling out directions to Leo as he jotted them down quickly on a sheet of paper, doing some fast mental math to triangulate the location on a map. There was a brilliance to watching him work, one that was almost so distracting she could hardly focus on her actual task. Smarter than Tony Stark, he was, and she'd argue that with anyone, any day.

"Here, here, I've got it," he said after a moment, circling a point on the map and handing it over to Asia. "Right there, that's our mark. We go there, we find the EMP." 

Asia took the map and looked at it, nodding to him gratefully. "Alright then, let's get a move on." 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They made quick work of the Watch Dogs in the old, abandoned warehouse that the EMP was located in, with Yoyo's abilities helping them rid of the men of any guns before they slipped in, taking them out by surprise in each flash of the EMP's pulse. After they were all defeated and bound, Leo got to work on the EMP, quickly taking it apart and restoring power to Miami.

Asia felt her phone buzz in her pocket and pulled it out, finding no less than ten missed calls from Director Mace, as well as several texts. "I've...got to go, guys," She said, reading the latest one sent only seconds ago advising that a Quinnjet was setting down outside to pick her up. Mace would be on it, ready for his briefing of the op. She pulled out the camera app on her phone and snapped a picture of one of the dog tattoos, forwarding it on to him. Hopefully that wouldn't require too much of an explaination.

"Here, let me walk you out," Leo said, jogging up to her and slipping his hand in hers, the two of them heading towards the door, winding back down the brightly lit halls they had just snuck through. "Quite the day, huh?" He asked her, soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Yea, it was something..." She sighed. "Too bad there's too many people in the world who will only ever believe one side of the story, the fictitious side. We are going to have to do so much work to rebuild what the Watch Dogs tore down today. And it won't be easy." 

"Well, it's a good thing Mace has someone like you running the show then, isn't it?" He said quietly, opening the door for her that lead outside into the thick, humid air of Miami. Even late in the evening, it was still hot and muggy. She could feel the moisture all around her, and it made her feel stronger than usual. 

"You're too sweet," she said, beaming over at him, before her eyes traced the Quinnjet behind them. Her ride was here and waiting. The work day wasn't over for her, not just yet. There was still one more mission on her plate. "I hope he brought me a change of clothes," she sighed, eyeing her power suit.

"You look great in anything," he said, grabbing her and pulling her to him in a tight embrace. "But especially good in _nothing_ , yea?" he whispered cheekily in her ear. She gave him a playful shove on the shoulder, but couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright I've got to go," she said with a sigh, standing on her tip toes and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "I love you, I'll see you at home?"

"You know, someday you're going to say that, and 'home,' isn't going to mean the Base," he mused, wistful smile on his face as he squeezed her hands. He was hopeful that time would come sooner rather than later. They had spent their entire relationship at work; on the Bus, at the Base, but never at a place just for them. He aimed to fix that. "I love you too," he said, letting her hands go and letting her head towards the jet, watching as the ramp lowered for her. She turned, giving him one last wave and blowing a kiss over her shoulder. He stood there and watched her leave, ready to go change the world, and thought to himself just how lucky he really was.

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"You ready for this?" Mace asked her, as they strolled down a hall together, being lead forward by a security team. Asia Monroe brushed her curly hair over her shoulder and nodded. It was a bit too cliché for her taste to say she was born for this, because what she was about to do went beyond anything she had ever imagined for her life. "After today there's no going back." He said, and Asia wasn't sure if he was trying to help her put on a brave face or help himself.

"Those people out there, they won't even know who I am," she sighed, shaking her head. It was true. They could look her up all they wanted, but unless they have access to the Inhuman Registration List, there was no trace of Asia Penelope Monroe anywhere on the internet. Never the less, she subconsciously adjusted the strap of the maroon dress Mace had supplied her with when she boarded the Quinnjet down in Miami. 

"After today they will," Mace replied with a grin. "Won't just be some pretty face on the TV. You'll be Asia Monroe, Head of Inhuman Recruitment, Education, and Development, the woman who brings light to the darkness and helps people understand something that confuses them, scares them. When people think of Inhumans, they'll think of you, and they'll feel safe."

They stopped at a door, and Asia could hear the murmur of voices and snapping of camera on the other side. A buzz settled in her stomach. "Alright then, let's do this," she said, hoping her voice came out as confident as she was putting on. 

Mace nodded, and one of the security guards opened the door. The two Shield members stepped out and into the conference room on Capitol Hill. The voices fell to a hush as cameras began to snap rapidly. Asia wondered if this is what Natasha felt like when she was on trial, when she was at the Accords. All eyes fixating on her. It was heavy, this pressure to appear professional, appear perfect.

"Hello, I'm Jeffrey Mace," her Director said, stepping up to the podium in front of them. Asia stayed behind him, to the side, standing in front of a blue curtain and beside an American Flag. "The President has asked me here tonight to address recent events, events which have many of you concerned. You all know who I am. My face is not an unfamiliar one, you know my work in international affairs. But most importantly, you know I'm a straight shooter, and not someone to shy away from the truth. So let's get right to it then and set the record straight." He paused for dramatic effect, a wide, jovial grin on his face. 

Then his face turned serious, as he looked at each of the news reporters who sat before him, spreading his gaze about the room. "The Inhumans were not responsible for the recent blackouts across the globe. They were caused by a group of human extremists, those who are hell-bent on spreading fear and creating a rift between us all. They want to turn neighbor against neighbor, rather than welcome these new members of our community. But I'm here tonight to tell you...that's not going to work. And you know why? That's because there's an old friend back in town." He looked over his shoulder, flashing Asia a smile. She nodded and smiled in return, the anticipation building in her chest. This is what she had been working all Spring for. This moment.

"We are here to deal with this threat, and any other threat that knocks on our door," Mace continued, facing the crowd again now. And tonight, that old friend turned all the lights back on, saving countless lives, homes, and businesses. And that old friend...is Shield." 

Reporters began to shout questions, standing up, raising hands, but Director Mace backed away from the podium for a moment, hands in his pockets. He turned to Asia and nodded. She looked up at the curtain she stood in front of, and watched it fall, revealing a large, circular logo with an Eagle in the center. A logo she had known all her life, a logo she wore on her lanyard, on her badge. She surveyed the image proudly, before watching Mace step back to the podium.

"I've had the honor of working with some of the smartest minds I know," he said seriously. "And together, we are working to rebuild Shield. That being said, I have another important team member I would like you to meet today. When I had the pleasure of assigning someone to the Inhuman Recruitment, Education, and Development division inside of Shield, there was only one person who came to mind..." he stepped back, turning and nodding at her to step forward.

Asia had fought monsters, aliens, those who claimed to be Gods. She had saved lives and taken them, flown high up into the atmosphere and dived beneath the sea. In her time with Shield, she thought she had done it all, thought she had outgrown the feeling of nerves and fear. But when she stepped up to that podium, she felt the long forgotten butterflies fill her stomach. Looking out at the sea of cameras and curious faces, she paused for a moment, taking it all in. This would be a moment she wouldn't forget, not ever. Then she smiled, hearing the cameras click as she did so, then spoke into the microphone before her.

"Hello everyone, I'm Asia Monroe. It's a pleasure to meet you."


	8. Chapter 8

"You were beautiful on TV, love," Leo said, opening his arms for her to crawl into when she returned to Base at the wee hours of the morning. She smiled as he pulled her close, kissing her forehead, arms wrapping around her tightly like a security blanket. "Absolutely stunner. Though, I'm not sure how I feel about the entire world knowing just how amazing my girlfriend is." He opened his tired eyes, scrunching them up as he grinned at her. 

"Amazing might be a bit of an overstatement," she giggled as she folded herself into his hug, pulling the blankets up tightly around them into a warm cocoon. "It was stressful, being up there like that, getting asked all those questions. I don't want to even think about how many times I said the words _no comment_. It's like they expected me to just give away the keys to the kingdom with my answers!" She didn't admit it was scary. It was embarrassing to say she was afraid. She had called Nat after, glad she was able to reach her amidst all the mess going on in her government-controlled life these days. She had watched, of course, and had only pointers and words of encouragement to share. 

"Well I sure think you were amazing," he said, kissing her neck gently, sweetly, up to her earlobe. He took the soft flesh between his mouth and pulled softly. "Incredible even." His voice had dropped to a husky tone that she knew well, and both of them knew there would be no sleep to be had any time soon.

She never felt as quite as good as she did wrapped in his arms, cold fingers exploring gently over warm skin. She loved this man with all her heart, and couldn't really believe her life had let her be lucky enough to find him. A lot of people out there didn't get a love like this in their lifetime. As Leo tugged up her shirt, pulling the soft cotton over head, she thought about how much she loved her life. She wouldn't trade this for the whole world.

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They had planned this day for weeks and now Leo couldn't come. House hunting. They were supposed to be house hunting. For their home away from Shield. And Mace had given him some silly task to work on. Jemma had graciously stepped up to come with her, which was amazing. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Jemma's company, but it was supposed to be Leo here with her. This was supposed to be their special thing, their special day. And work had gotten in the way, again. Wasn't that the entire point _of_ this apartment? A bit ironic if you asked her.

Walking down the street, their heels clicking lightly against the sidewalk, Jemma looked up at the buildings they were walking by, beautiful and elaborate with their large, arched windows. "It is a rather gorgeous part of town," she commented, turning to look at Asia while they walked. "Oh. You're upset, aren't you? I'm sorry. I know I'm not the one you want to be here with." They paused in the sidewalk as Jemma grabbed her friend's forearm, giving it a tight squeeze. "I know we haven't been...well, we've never been quite as close as we were since, well, since Trip passed away. And I'm sorry for that too." 

Asia gave Jemma a sympathetic smile, grabbing her hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "Jemma, it's okay, really. I'm not upset with you. It's just the way the day has turned out. And I appreciate you being here with me, really. As excited as I am about viewing this place, seeing it alone wouldn't be very fun."

"I hope we can just...get back to the way we used to be, some time," Jemma said, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "I mean that, Asia. You were one of my best friends, the person I trusted most in the world besides...." She sighed, shaking her head, dropping Asia's hand to brush at the tears. "I just, I feel so silly saying it. I miss him so much. I'd do anything to see him again." 

"I know," Asia said, pulling Jemma into a tight squeezing hug. "I know." She didn't know what else she could say to make this better. Nothing really, all she could do was be there for her. 

"Why don't you call Fitz?" Jemma said after a moment, pulling away from the brunette's embrace. "Hearing his voice might cheer you up a little bit." It was a good suggestion, a smart one too. No surprise there, a smart thought coming from Jemma Simmons. So Asia nodded and pulled out her cell, pressing the number for his speed dial.

He picked up on the second ring, as soon as he could see his girlfriend's name pop up on his phone screen, along with a little circular icon of her pulling a face. "Hey love, what's up?" He asked, his voice crystal clear over the phone as if he were right beside her. Jemma was right, it did make her feel better.

"Hey, I just wanted...to say hi," she said, smiling in spite of herself as the two women began to walk again. "I'm really excited about this place, Leo. I wish you were here to see it. It really does check off all the boxes we were looking for. You'd love it." 

"Oh yea?" He replied, and she could picture him in the Lab, phone tucked between his shoulder and ear, tinkering as he talked. "Like what?"

"It's hardwood floors, so I can get a cat, big bay windows, one has a little window seat for reading, a breakfast nook, double sinks, it's perfect, charming, warm," she couldn't help but smile as she gushed about the location. It really was perfect, it was exactly what they needed and more. She looked at Jemma and the two exchanged a grin. "The description calls it cozy _and_ charming."

"Well, don't get too over the moon until you see it. Cozy usually means small and charming usually means old," he reminded her. As great as it did sound, he didn't want her to come home heartbroken over a flat. "Where did you find this place again?" He asked, riffling through some folders at his desk. 

"Through, um, an email offer," she replied, hearing how silly it sounded on her own tongue. "But not like...a weird one!" She rushed to say. "I get tons of these offers each day. I swear. This is just the one I was meant to read." Gods, she hoped she was right. She wanted to be done looking.

"And it's within our price range too?" He asked, switching his desk over to a different computer screen and swapping the hand that held his phone so he could type. He could practically hear her wince over the phone as he asked her a more difficult quesiton.

"Well....can one _really_ put a price limit on the perfect home? Because it is. Perfect, I mean," Asia babbled, deciding to go the route of avoiding the question all together. Because it sure wasn't in their price range. It was definitely above. But, Asia could also afford to put aside more than she had been. She knew Leo would object and protest but that's what savings were for, right?

"Asia, we've been over this. A few times," he said with a small sigh, bemused by her. "We can put a price on it, and we did, together." A valid truth. 

"Well, this one is going to be worth it, I promise. I'll take lots of pictures and send them to you..." She trailed off, stopping in front of the building with Jemma, sighing as she looked up at its glorious façade. "I wish you were here," she said, softly this time, her voice almost a whisper. "I know you don't have much a choice in the matter, that you're working and really busy with it today, but I miss you all the same."

"Yea, well, I know..." he said, frowning, as he gathered some papers up from his desk. "But I'm heading to Radcliff's here shortly."

"You're practically living there these days," Asia mused with a bit of a frown. They were supposed to be looking for a place for the two of them to live together, today. And instead, he was off over there again.

"Does it?" He said, perhaps not picking up on her annoyance, or sadness. "I guess you could see it that way. We're just trying to find a less deadly way to save our ghost victims. I'm glad May survived, but I don't want everyone to have to go through with that. Literally dying and all."

"I know..." she said with a sigh, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. It's just not the same." She didn't want to see a house without him, not be able to picture him filling it with love, with her. It was hard, and made all the harder knowing he had other priorities right now. She understood it. Sometimes work had to come first. But it didn't make things suck any less.

"I know, love," He said after a beat, his voice now dropped to match hers. "I know. Soon, I promise, we'll be touring places together. For today, I'll have to live through your pictures, yea?" He smiled despite himself. He could picture the photos she'd be taking and sending already. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, ending the call and tucking her phone into her pocket. Then she turned to Jemma, a smile on her face, albeit slightly forced. "Alright then, let's go do this thing." She gave the scientist a quick nod, then together, the two made their way for the entrance.

It was only one flight of stairs up, which was nice. The door was painted a seafoam green, which Asia would probably change, but it didn't ruin the aesthetic altogether. Maybe painting it dark red or black would change it up a bit. She could picture that, in her mind’s eye. Picture coming home through that door. Picture Leo carrying her through that door. It was nice, being able to imagine those things. Only made her feel like she was doing the right thing even more.

The door was slightly ajar, as if the relator was waiting inside. "Hello," Asia called out, knocking twice and pushing the door slightly inward. "We're here about the apartment," her voice seemed to echo throughout the space. She paused for a moment before stepped in, inspecting the lock on the door. Something was wrong with it...broken? Her nerves started to stand on edge. Quickly, she closed her eyes and did a quick sense for water nearby, lifeforms. There was someone inside. Just one person. So this wasn't some weird Watch Dog ambush. 

"Jemma," she paused in the doorway, "Something feels...wrong..." She took one step forward so she could see into the kitchen. No one there. She tried flicking on the lights in the entry hall...dead. Something was definitely wrong.

Jemma slowly reached into her black purse, pulling out a shiny, metallic object. A hand gun. She was holding a pistol, in Asia's potential new home.

"You brought a _gun_ to my house showing??" Asia hissed, grabbing her friend's arm. "Why would you do that?!"

"Oh don't tell me you didn't bring a weapon with you Asia Monroe, I know you far better than that!" Jemma replied back indignantly. 

"I _am_ the weapon!" Asia replied, the pitch of her voice spiking even if she were only whisper-shouting. She sighed, shaking her head. Clearly, something was up here anyways and this wasn't going to be a normal showing. "Fine, fine, let's just clear the perimeter together," she looked at one of the large bay windows and shook her head. A shame. It really would have been the perfect home.

As the two began to move into the kitchen, the door slammed shut behind them. Asia whirled, a ring of ice-formed blades already floating above the target's neck, but she faltered. She hadn't expected to see anyone she knew here. Least of all, had she ever expected it to be Daisy.


	9. Chapter 9

"Daisy?" the brunette asked, drawing back her blades off ice, the water quickly evaporating into the air around them, making the room slightly humid. "What...what are you doing here?" Asia's mind was whirling at a million miles an hour. She hadn't seen Daisy in months, hadn't heard from her at all. In fact, the woman who called herself Asia's best friend had been going behind her back to get pills from Yoyo, and neither of them had said a thing about it to her. And that still burned, deep.

"I'm sorry," she said, her teeth gritted in pain, eyes half shut and rimmed think with eyeliner and shadow. She looked in serious pain. It was then that Asia assessed her arms, covered in bruises....the pills must not have been working. "I had no where else to go, I didn't know what to do," she grunted again, slowly starting to slide down the door, a streak of blood left in her wake. Asia started to step forward, but Jemma grabbed her wrist. 

"Wait, one second," Jemma said. "Let me...let me look first." She swallowed, hard, then steeled herself. Regardless of what had happened between them, she was their friend. And, Jemma was the one of them who was medically trained. "You're bleeding, so let's take a look at that wound." Jemma helped the woman move away from the wall to the center of the room, getting a look at her back. It was a bullet wound, but it looked like it had been messed with, bullet already removed. "I...am going to go get my bag from the car. Asia, why don't you stay here and make sure she's alright."

Asia was about to protest, opening her mouth to speak, but she stopped herself. Closing her lips, she nodded, and moved to stand on the wall by the window, leaning against it casually, when really she appreciated the way it could support her in this moment. In a blink of an eye, Jemma had left the room, door shut just enough that anyone who walked past wouldn't notice. That left just Asia and Daisy in a room, alone, for the first time in month. 

Neither of them spoke, and Asia found her eyes drifting away from her, studying the structure of the flat. It really was everything she wanted...but she was beginning to realize that this had probably all been a set up by Daisy, wanting to get them alone. Well, get Jemma alone, since she needed medical help. Having Asia go tour a potential home on a day Leo was working was just the best way to do that. So, as she saw it, she was just an added accessory to what Daisy really needed. That certainly didn't feel _great_ , but Asia had never been the type to let her emotions show, especially when things got hard. So, as she so often did, she put up her walls, feeling her face slip into a familiar resting face, appearing as if she had no feelings at all.

When she finally did look back to Daisy, she was looking right back, wide brown eyes studying her, unspeaking. The two stared at one another for a moment, unmoving. "So..." Daisy said after a moment, trailing off, her voice echoing around the empty rooms of the flat almost as loudly as it did inside of her head.

Asia flinched for a moment, a sudden anger rising in her chest. "You've been gone, radio silent for months, and I had no idea if you were dead or alive until some other headline came out about you, and all you have to say is ' _so_ '?" She could feel her cheeks growing hot with her anger, her hurt. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to reel herself back in. She wasn't the type for loud outbursts, wasn't the type to let people see they had gotten inside, that they had hurt her. 

Daisy winced, and Asia wasn't certain if it was from another flash of pain due to her bleeding back, or if it was from her biting words, quick to lash out and strike like a slap to the face. "Yea, I probably deserve that reaction..." Daisy muttered, and neither woman knew if it was directedly outwardly or inwardly. "I probably should have lead with an 'I'm sorry,' shouldn't I? Too late for that now." Her words were harsh, but only in a self-deprecating fashion. 

"Yea, that's a better start," Asia said, arms still wrapped tightly around herself like a shield. "Where have you been all these months? We've been trying to track you down, trying to help you....and you evaded all of it. Oh wait. Except you didn't, because you used one of the agents I'm in charge of to smuggle you supplies." Maybe that was a bit of a low blow, but Asia couldn't help it. Once she had started talking, it was like a stream pushing through earth - eventually, the words were going to break out, one way or another. Asia didn't get much a choice in the matter.

"I've been trying to stop the Watch Dogs...but you already know that, since you've been following me, and the news," Daisy said with a shake of her head. "And yea, getting Yoyo involved was pretty shitty, I know. Leading you guys here was pretty shitty too, and I'm sure you've already put that together, so I'm apologizing for that, too." 

"You've clearly been tracking me browser history..." Asia said with a sigh, biting back some other strong words this time. "Props to you, you made it through Shield's security again. I don't think any of us are too surprised you were able to do that, you always have been. And yea, luring me here so you can get to Jemma isn't a great look, either." There was the sour note, the part that stung. Daisy could tell well enough that it bothered her.

"Yea, well," Daisy sighed, "The place is yours. I already booked it in your name. And covered the rent. That stolen Watch Dog money needed to be put to good use somehow...plus, I knew you'd love these bay windows," she couldn't help but smirk a little bit to herself at that one. Asia's search history had been of no surprise. She could read her preferences like a book. "And, I noticed you've only been searching for places with double vanity sinks....so I take it you and Fitz are still going strong. How is he?"

Asia paused for a moment at that, the reminder of Leo ringing through to her frustrated, clouded mind. "He's...good," she faulted. "Working, today. Which I imagine you already know...but, yes. We're looking for a place. He's going to be doing better when he learns we don't have to pay for any of it...though I'm sure he will posture up and act like he isn't for a while." A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth in spite of herself, thinking to her boyfriend, probably on the road over to Radcliff's right now.

"Good..." Daisy said, trailing off, her word hanging flat in the thick, moist air around them. She bit her lower lip, looking up to lock eyes with Asia again. "Look, I really am sorry. I just...I couldn't be there anymore, with Shield, at Base. I had to get out, get away. Everything there reminded me of him and it was all too much, the constant reminders. I thought you would get it, of all people. I figured you would understand."

Asia frowned, brow furrowing. That was the worst part, wasn't it? She did get it. She understood why Daisy had run away. She had been on the brink of that so many times herself, but never on the receiving end of watching it happen. Perhaps the hardest part was reliving what she finally realized she must have put her friends through every day. Or perhaps that was just a part of it. Either way, it would be hypocritical to claim she didn't understand Daisy's motivations. For a moment, she couldn't speak, words getting stuck in her throat like cotton. And then, she didn't have to anymore, because Jemma walked back through the door, bag in hand, and the moment was broken. Asia felt a weight lift off of her chest. 

"Alright then, let's get you looked at," Jemma said, putting on her cheeriest Doctor Smile as she shut the bloodied door behind her. When she had entered the room, she could feel far less tension than when she had left, which she supposed was a good thing. Baby steps. They had to start somewhere. Moving to the center of the room to set beside Daisy, Jemma sat down her bag and began to empty it, placing everything within an arm's reach so she could get to it without moving. "Asia, if you wouldn't mind," Jemma said, nodding for the brunette to sit beside her. "I'll need some water." 

Hesitantly, Asia moved to sit to Jemma's left, putting her in view of Daisy's vision again, if the woman were to glance to her right at her. It was uncomfortable, feeling that weight of a gaze, as she focused on creating a bowl of water which she held with her own two hands in front of her for Jemma, no liquid dispersing to the floor as it would if anyone else attempted to hold it. Jemma nodded her thanks, and began to get to work.

"Wow, whoever removed this bullet did a horrid job," Jemma commented, nose crinkling as she rubbed an alcohol swab over the swollen and irritated area, skin red with the early flames of infection. Good thing she was seeing to it when she was, or else it could have gotten much, much worse.

"What, I don't get an A for effort?" Daisy quipped back, grimacing as she felt Jemma's first push of needle and string against her raw skin as she began to stich up the still-open wound. She turned slightly to look at Asia. "I saw you on TV the other night. You looked good. You did a better job than Mace, that's for sure. Poster Girl for the Inhumans now, lucky you." There was a bit of a bite to her words this time, though Asia couldn't quite understand why. 

"Yea, when Coulson stepped down and Mace stepped up...Jemma and I both took a promotion. Mine just happens to be the job which would be yours if you were around," her words were dry and honest, and she saw a flicker of something in Daisy's eyes, though it was too small and quick to be certain what it was. "I didn't ask to be on TV, or to be the face of our movement or whatever, I just wanted to help other people like us." 

"I know," Daisy said back, grimacing as Jemma continued her work. "Like I said...I think you're doing a good job. And, for what it's worth, I think you'd still be doing that job even if I was around. There's no one who can do what you did for the world when you stepped up to that podium. Not even me." The words, for whatever reason, burrowed down into Asia' heart and refused to leave. She had been telling herself for months that she didn't really deserve this job, that it should have been Daisy, that it would have been Daisy, if she was still there. She had never brought up these thoughts to anyone before, so no one had ever felt the need to reassure her otherwise. But here Daisy was, in the flesh herself, telling her she was wrong. There was something...comforting, about that, even if Asia didn't really want to let it in just yet.

"So," Jemma said, her turn to lead with a hard edge. "Just for reference, the bone healing pills you've been stealing, they don't releive pain. Which I'm sure you're finding out right about now. Have you been using your arm gauntlets?" At Daisy's lack of response, the scientist continued on. "They don't work perfectly. But, we did specifically design them for you. So that this wouldn't happen." She gestured to Daisy's left arm. 

"Well," Daisy said, grunting in pain, "They aren't exactly inconspicuous are they?" She had a point, when it came to her odd lifestyle at least, her lifestyle of running and hiding. "So please, it would help, if you stopped mothering me." The tension Jemma had felt leave the room momentarily flooded back in. She pressed her lips into a thin line and put the final bandage over Daisy's shoulder, giving it a little harder touch than she needed to. On signal, Asia dismissed her water and the two women stood up together. Both had had enough of this. Both recognized it was time to go and leave Daisy behind.

"Enjoy your life out there, being a lone ranger and whatever," Asia said over her shoulder, not daring to look back. It would be too hard, losing Daisy again. At least this time was voluntary. She knew what she was doing when she got up to walk out of that building.

"Not yet," Daisy said, taking a bottle of vodka, cheap vodka, out of her own bag and taking a sip. "I came here for more than just medical help. I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone. Asia, this is for you." She reached into her back pocket and took out a folded out, bloody piece of paper.

Asia took it, somewhat reluctantly, and unfolded it, seeing a familiar piece of typed paper in front of her. "These are Inhuman asset numbers and locations..." she said, taking in a deep breath. "Just like I saw in Miami. Why do you have these?" 

"How do you think I got shot?" She asked, rolling her eyes. "I snagged them from a merry band of proud Watch Dogs on my way over here. If you saw them in Miami, clearly they're hacking into the Shield servers. That's how they're getting this intel." It made sense, mostly, but Jemma did tend to disagree.

"That's not possible," she objected, after looking over Asia's shoulder at the names and numbers. "Shield servers are more secure than they have ever been, thanks to all the work we've had to do to stop you from getting in. They're held offline, in protected government facilities. It isn't possible. We've worked hard to make sure to keep people out."

"Yea, well, they're getting in somehow," Daisy said, shaking her head, fighting not to roll her eyes again. "If that wasn't apparent before, I don't know how it can't be now. And...I need another favor. I need you to do the same...for me." She pressed her lips into a thin line, watching the two of them. It was a lot to ask, a favor out of two women she had abandoned, asking them to betray their jobs for her. She knew there was a fairly good chance they would say no.

"Wait, wait," Asia said, holding up one finger and closing her eyes, trying to bite back the anger roiling in her stomach. "Let me get this straight. You trick us back here, we haven't seen or heard from you in months, and the first thing you want is help breaking into our own organization? The place we work? Because now we've made it too hard and actually kept you from getting in yourself? Am I getting all of that right?" She opened her eyes to glare at Daisy, the temperature in the room suddenly dropping sharply. She hadn't felt this much anger, this much hurt, in a long time. It was boiling inside of her.

"Asia...they're targeting Inhumans," Daisy said, voice taking on a pleading note. "I know that's something you care about just as much as I do. They are murdering us. Tell me that doesn't make you want to do something, to stop them. Because I know you, and I know you'd be lying if you pretended otherwise." 

"Daisy," Jemma said, stepping in when Asia was at a loss for words. "There are protocols here. Asia and I are subjected to mandatory lie-detector tests each week." At that note, Asia and Daisy locked eyes for a moment. Sure, Asia could lie her way through just about anything, but Jemma had always been a miserable liar. "We cannot just go around willy-nilly helping a wanted vigilante. It's not that I wouldn't love to help a friend out, but this isn't something I can just voluntarily do." She grabbed the paper out of Asia's hand and handed it back to Daisy, swooping her field bag up in a quick motion and grabbing Asia's arm, turning for the door.

There was a sound behind them, movement. Asia thought nothing of it. It was just Daisy there, after all. She was probably grabbing her bottle of vodka to take some of the tension off. "What if it wasn't a voluntary choice?" Daisy asked, and Asia paused, turning around. What she saw was unexpected. What she saw made her heart stop for a moment, breath catch in her throat. Daisy stood there, gun in her good hand, aiming at the two of them.

There were a lot of actions Agent Monroe could have proceeded with in that moment, a lot that people would not have blamed her for. But the least likely was the one which actually occurred. Asia paused, leaning against the wall beside her and crossing her arms over her chest, wan smile tugging at her lips. "Oh Daisy," She said, shaking her head, smile growing wider. "I have missed you, too."


	10. Chapter 10

Daisy's van had seen better days. But as far as it went, for a van someone had lived out of for months, it was in fairly okay shape. All things considered. So that's why Asia didn't mind climbing in the passenger seat as Daisy took the wheel and Jemma sat in the back, giving them directions to the nearest facility in the area. They made an odd trio, these days, but it did feel a lot back like when they had broken into classified Shield information to find out what Ward and Leo had been sent to face. 

The building was tall, several stories high, with large, white pillars around the façade, making it look all the more important. Was it a call back to all the fancy government buildings in the DC area? Perhaps, though they would never know without a word to the architect. Nevertheless, unbeknownst to the people who walked around outside, it held some of the most classified information in the country within it's sturdy walls.

Daisy already had a plan laid out, not that that surprised anyone. She did have this whole meet up set to begin with. "Alright, so, again," Daisy said, taking a deep breath. "Inside of that building is one of the Inhuman Registration Information Servers." 

"I'm fully aware," Jemma said, annoyance twinging in her voice. "We've gone over this. I know what I'm doing and it's rather insulting that you keep repeating the instructions." She sighed, leaning back in her seat so she could get a better view out of the window. It wasn't often one saw Jemma Simmons snap like that, but when it did happen, it was often due to people underestimating her abilities. 

Daisy paused for a moment, studying Jemma in the rearview mirror, before turning back to face the building, continuing on with reciting her plan. There was something comforting about saying the words to her idea, out loud, reminding herself the plan was good, that it would work. "Every day, an Agent named Elizabeth Albee brings a drive with updated information on the Inhuman Assets recruited by Shield to this location. 

"And I am to steal her ID badge, yes, as you said," Jemma affirmed. "Because, while it would be much easier for Asia to complete this task physically, it would make much less sense for her to be in a building like this." 

Asia looked up into the mirror, locking eyes with Jemma and nodding. "Whereas you will blend right in. You're basically in charge of anything science and tech related inside Shield. I'd say our servers hit that list pretty well." Jemma nodded, giving her a small but appreciative smile.

"When you steal the badge, you're going to bring it back to me, so I can clone it and place a fake identity over the top," Daisy affirmed, nodding along as she spoke. "Then you're going to take this flash drive, set it into the server, and get out because I'll have remote access." She took a thin, black flash drive out of her pocket and set it on the center consol. Asia grabbed it and reached back, passing it to Jemma.

"Oh look, there she is," Daisy said, leaning forward and looking in the side mirror, watching a woman in sunglasses and a white pant suit make her way towards the building, surrounded by a few Shield guards, and probably some government agents, as she did so. "Right on time. Perfect."

Suddenly, from behind them, they heard the van door open. Asia whirled around, only to find Jemma climbing out of the van and jogging her way across the street, flash drive in hand. The two could do nothing but watching her go, as she jogged up to the group, watch as a security guard put up a hand to stop her progression, and see her mouth move as she began to speak. "What the hell is she doing?" Daisy muttered, speaking the question that was flashing through both of their minds. Jemma handed the flash drive over, peachy smile on her face, then she headed back over across the street. 

Jemma climbed back into the van, pleased smile on her lips. "There we go. Nailed it."

"Jemma...what exactly did you _do_?" Asia asked, turning around in the front seat to look at her. 

"Well, I simply told Agent Albee that you gave me new information this morning, as you knew I would be headed past here today. You had so nicely put it on a flash drive for me, and she is going to deliver that information with the rest," Jemma said with a nod and a smile. "That should give us access."

"How did you even get her to agree to that?" Daisy asked. frowning as she too turned around to ask Jemma, surprised it had been that easy.

"Well, technically, with our different ranks, Asia and I are higher on the new Shield food chain that her. Technically speaking, I am her boss," Jemma smiled rather proudly at this statement. "Now, let's get out of here before they notice I'm still sitting over here in this van." Daisy started up the van and they got back on the road.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Every Inhuman, with the exception of Asia due to her high ranking position within Shield, is required to wear a wrist watch daily. It's an Asset Communication Device," Jemma explained, back at Asia's new apartment, as Daisy worked to gain access into the servers. "It tracks locations, vital signs, and so on. It's for their own safety, really." Jemma looked to Asia to ensure she was on the right track, and the brunette nodded, then looked away. The watches hadn't been her idea. She never would have agreed to a thing like that, hence, why she didn't have one. There were some perks to her position, and negotiating power was one of them. 

"Doesn't look like it's work out too well, has it?" Daisy quipped as she typed away at her laptop, clicks of the keys echoing around the empty apartment. Suddenly, the laptop beeped, giving them the signal that Albee really had input the flash drive. Daisy had full access now. "And it looks like I was right. There's an encrypted third party in here that's hacking into the stream of information. Every time the devices send and receive signals, they get an update. Not sure I would call that top notch security." Daisy mumbled, clearly not in agreement with the tracking device, either.

"The watches suck, I think you and I can easily agree on that," Asia said, standing up straight and striding over to look at Daisy's laptop screen. "But if the Watch Dogs have access to all of that data, it means they have intel on _a lot_ of Inhumans. My team has recruited and assisted...more than two hands full, over the past few months. How do we warn them?" 

"I already did, at least everyone on this list," Daisy pursed her lips. "But let's see who is on the list I haven't gotten to." 

"Wait," Asia said, pointing towards the upper righthand corner of the screen. "Who is that one? I recognize that number from somewhere..." She trailed off as Daisy tapped some quick keys and a series of faces started to riffle across the screen. It finally landed on one, a face they all knew well. James. Asia closed her eyes and sighed for a moment, pressing one hand to her temple.

"James," She said, shaking her head. "I haven't seen him since...since everything went down with Hive." She shook her head, crossed her arms over her chest. "Hive's withdrawal hit him hard. Harder than it even hit you. We...did everything we could for him. But, much like you, he couldn't get away from us quick enough." The words were bitter, but she had meant them to be. "He only ever shows for mandatory check ins." 

"Alright well," Daisy slammed her laptop shut, sliding off the counter on which she sat. "Thank you very much for your help. It was good to see you, but I've got to go." She walked past Asia, headed for her laptop bag. 

"Wait, wait, where are you going?" Jemma asked, whirling to try and stop her. Daisy had only just got here, and now she was ready to leave again. Not that there was much surprise there, Daisy hadn't even tried to get ahold of them until now. But still...such a rapid goodbye bit at Jemma's heart. 

"James is next on the Watch Dog's hit list," Daisy said, not even bothering to glance over her shoulder. She had places to be, and couldn't stop to wait around for pleasantries. "I've got to get to him before it's too late."

"Excuse me, wait a moment," Asia said, hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised indignantly. " _We_ have to get to him. James is my responsibility. Every Inhuman on that list is. In case you don't remember, his safety and safe integration to society is quite literally my job now." 

"Asia, I know you're just trying to help, but really, it's not needed," Daisy scoffed as she tucked her laptop into her black bag. "I've got it from here. On my own. You guys can run back to base and get back to your day jobs."

Asia did not understand Daisy's insistence of being so ridiculously stubborn and cold. She clenched her fists at her sides, taking a step forward, seeing her own breath in front of her. "You need to _stop_!" she shouted, her words echoing like a cave inside the room in which they stood. Ice started to crawl over the windows, but Asia didn't care, didn't care if she wasn't in control right now, didn't care how it looked. "You cannot push us away and come back when you need us, crawling back half dead, bleeding all over the walls of my new house, pretending that everything between all of us is _fine_." She could feel the icy tears sticking to her cheeks as she shouted out in protest. "You can't come back only when you feel like it."

She took a deep breath, the air feeling hot and sticky compared to her throat, her cold breath. She looked Daisy in the eye, leveling with her. "It isn't fair. You have put us through too much today and at this point, we're in it together. You don't get to say no. You wouldn't even have that intel without us. We're coming with, whether you like it or not." She grabbed the keys to the van off of the counter and turned, stomping out of the room.

"Well," Jemma said, fake smile on her face. "Looks like you're just going to have to suck it up then."


	11. Chapter 11

The van pulled up outside of Primed and Ready Fireworks in LA, breaks squeaking a little as they stopped in the closest open spot. Outside, it looked like any other fireworks shop, splashed in bright posters proclaiming their wares, but Asia knew, inside, there was something a little more than atypical. James, or Hellfire, as he used to refer to himself, worked in there. And he certainly wouldn't be expecting a visit from them today. As Daisy parked the car, the three women climbed out together, stopping to look at the front of the building.

"This is where James works?" Daisy asked, brow furrowed, as she looked back and forth between the sign and Asia, hoping this was some sort of sick prank. Was a fireworks shop really the best place for a fire-bending Inhuman to lay down his roots? Because it seemed like a really, really bad idea. 

Asia stepped beside her, hands shoved in the pockets of her leather jacket. "Yea. That was my thought too, when I first found out. Unfortunately, yes, this is _exactly_ where he has decided to be employed." She looked back up at the sign and sighed, shaking her head. "Bull in a china shop, as they say." And it truly was. One bad day and James' entire place of employment could go up in a blaze of glory. 

"Yea, whoever is running the Terrible Ideas Division back at Shield is really killing their job lately," Daisy replied sarcastically, face twisted in disgust. Together, the three women gathered themselves, putting on blank game faces, and walked into the building side by side. It was time to get the job done, and then they could go home. 

Inside the building, it smelled like gunpowder and recently burnt fire. Matches and destruction. It did not exactly feel like a safe place to be, rather a place where young people with chaos on their minds came to ease their frustrations. All in all, it was a place that made Asia incredibly uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the innate water abilities she possessed, but somewhere where fire reigned didn't seem like the place for her. As they walked in, a small bell jingled above the door, signaling their arrival. She could see James, sitting behind a sales desk, showing off fireworks to a set of young boys who could only be just 18, if they weren't really using fake IDs to get those items in the first place. 

"Hello James," Jemma said, announcing their presence to the fellow Inhuman. His face turned less practical joker and a lot more serious when he laid eyes on the three of them, and Asia could see the adam's apple bob in his throat as he swallowed nervously. She knew he must have realized by now, if they were there, it wasn't a good sign. 

"Erm, why don't you boys head on down to Sean. He'll get you all taken care of," he said to the set of youth in front of him, and they moved on as instructed. As they left, the three approached his desk, Asia studying him as he shifted uncomfortably. "Agent Monroe. Agent Simmons. Bit odd to see Shield at my doorstep these days. Even weirder to see them toting along an infamous vigilante, ain't it? Going by Quake these days, yea?" His accent was thick with sarcasm.

"Alright, alright, before any _bickering_ starts," Asia cut in, shooting Daisy a pointed look. "We're only here to make sure you're safe. And it certainly looks like you are doing just fine, James. We're glad to see it." She tried to make the words sound sincere, even if she had always found him to be a bit of a sleeze ball. But, that didn't mean she would let him die on her watch.

"Wait, wait, why wouldn't I be safe?" James paused, quirking his brow as he looked at at the three women in front of him. He looked genuinely concerned, albeit momentarily. 

Asia sighed, glancing around them. "The recent Watch Dog attacks, you've seen them right?" After James nodded, she continued on. "Well, we've found the source. They've been hacking the Asset Comms devices." She nodded towards the watch on his wrist, a frown slipping over her lips. "They can use them to track locations, and we're pretty sure you're on their To-Do list."

"Yea so," Daisy adjusted her stance, standing up straighter to give the air of authority. "You should probably take that thing off now."

James' eyes clouded over for a second, before he glanced at his wrist, holding it up in the air. "Ah yea, about that. I wasn't exactly a willing participant for this club. My watch doesn't really come off." Daisy glanced around them for a moment, before extending her hand, shooting a wave of vibrations out and cracking the watch right off of his thick wrist. The metal bits fell down on the table before him.

Daisy winced for a second, clutching her wrist, before taking in a deep breath and speaking. " We need you to come with us, James. We can get you out of here, get you somewhere safe." 

"Woah, woah, woah," James said, putting his hands up, eyebrows raising. "I don't want any of that. I just want to keep living my quiet, _normal_ life." He looked around the shop, as if worried suddenly that anyone could be listening in to them.

"That's great, that you want that, James, really," Daisy sighed, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes, trying to convey the seriousness of her message to him. "But the Watch Dogs won't allow that. Not for you, not for me, not for any of us. They are coming to take your life."

James sighed, fiddling with a lighter at his desk. "What's it worth really, my life?" he mused, flicking the lighter on and off before blowing it out. "I work here, and then I go home. I do that every day. On days I _don't_ work, I stay at home. So you answer me, what's it all worth anyway?" 

"James," Jemma pursed her lips, a frown threatening to form. "Shield is here to try and help you James. This isn't some plot against you." She sounded a tad exasperated, but given the day they had all had, it wasn't exactly unexpected.

"Or, you come take a stance with me," Daisy interjected, and Asia frowned, not bothering trying to hide it. That wasn't the plan, not here, that wasn't why they had come. This wasn't some gambit to get more followers to Daisy's weird rebellion. And yet, she continued on. "You can fight back, against them. That gives a lot of purpose. That's how you can take back the control."

James sighed for a moment, looking at the lighter and dropping it, then looking at his hands. "I...can't just leave right now. I hear you, all of you, but I have some, um, stuff I've got to wrap up first. Can you just meet me at the public storage place next door, after closing?" After the three nodded, he nodded in return. "Pod 212, second floor. Easy to find. I've got something there that might help," at that note, he glanced to Daisy specifically, and she nodded. 

Asia tapped the desk twice with the palm of her hand, and gave him a quick nod. "Great, we'll see you there." Then she turned, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets, and stomped out of the store. In front of James was no place for an argument. Showing a weakness in their ranks really wouldn't do. And she didn't need _other_ people around them listening in either. She didn't want to be around Daisy right now, she didn't want to be around anybody. She needed to get outside, where she could feel the fresh air on her skin again, get away from that feeling of everything about to go up in flames in any minute. 

Thankfully, it wouldn't be long till closing time.


	12. Chapter 12

The personal-storage facility was quiet, lights already dim, halls made of concrete which was refreshingly cool to the touch as Asia leaned against one of the open spaces outside compartment 212. She was averting her eyes from Daisy, still boiling on the inside with frustration of how the conversation earlier that day had been handled. It wasn't Daisy's place to make that call, offer that other life. And Asia really couldn't just let her do it. No, this unfortunately meant she was going to have to take James in, whether he wanted to go along or not. Finally, she reached her boiling point. 

"So, you think you're just going to rope James into your little vigilante justice brigade now, huh?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes. "Really wasn't your call to make, and you know I can't let it happen." Her words were harsh, but as honest as could be. 

"Quake and the Amazing Bomb Boy," Jemma quipped, clearly as annoyed as her counterpart was at this latest turn of events. 

"Why don't you guys go wait in the van?" Daisy replied back dryly. In her head, she knew she had done the right thing. He wouldn't have agreed to meet them without her offer. Her choice, her words, was the reason another Inhuman would get out of this alive. Who knows what would have happened if she didn't intervene. 

"Oh yea, _that's_ definitely what I'm going to do," Asia drawled back, rolling her eyes in spite of herself. "You do get we're supposed to be helping him, right? Or is that concept so foreign and lost on you that you only understand helping yourself?" She shot the words back at Daisy like little bullets, each hitting their mark as Daisy flinched.

"I _am_ helping him," She said back in protest, narrowing her eyes right back at Asia. She had known since the moment she had given her offer to James, Asia had been on edge, angry, holding it all in until they were in a place she could finally let it out. Looks like that moment was here and now. 

"You chose to leave us and go down your emotional recovery path and that is fine," Asia said through gritted teeth, even though it was very much not fine. "But you need to leave him out of it. Don't drag him down with you just because you've decided you don't like feeling alone anymore." _You had a family right here_ , were the unspoken words that still seemed to echo down the hall around them.

But the echo was replaced almost seconds later with another sound. Footsteps. James. They all turned to look down the hall as he sauntered up, lopsided grin on his face. "One thing that never gets old is two women fighting over little ol me," he quipped, hands on his hips as he eyed the two of them up. Asia frowned. 

"Alright, what do you have for me then?" Daisy asked, rotating to face him as he took keys out of his pocket to open his storage room. "We should probably get it and get on the move, before anyone else shows up." Whether that was anyone else from Shield, or anyone from the Watch Dogs, Daisy left for open debate. 

James paused, holding the keys and looking at her with a pout. "Wow, that's a really heartwarming welcome, even for you, Daisy," he said, narrowing his eyes just slightly at her. "Just trust me, you're going to like this. We keep a ton of our raw materials from the store right here in storage. And lucky me, I've got the keys. Figure you might like getting your hands on some explosives, yea?" He winked, then returned to unlocking the padlock.

"It's a start," Daisy mused, eyeing James up and down. Maybe this partnership would be a good thing after all. 

Behind her, Asia was tensed and ready. She needed to hit them both, hard and fast, before either Inhuman had a chance to react. They couldn't see it coming, or they would stop her. And she didn't have to keep them knocked out for long - she knew with the wrist watch blasted off of James' wrist, Shield would be sending reinforcements already. People from her team, people she trusted, people she hand picked to do the job. They would come prepared, get James and Daisy, and get out of here. That's why she tuned out of Daisy's banter with James, why she tuned out of Jemma's angry protests with Daisy.

But none of them were ready, no matter how prepared, for James to lift up the door and have three Watch Dogs come out, followed by several more from the compartment behind them, then some from down the hall. "Bastard," Asia hissed, narrowing her eyes and putting her hands slowly in the air as one of the Dogs pointed a gun at her. He had sold them out. She didn't even need to hear him say it to know it was the truth. "You are the one doing this, you gave them access to your watch, you let them hack the signal. You're getting people _killed_."

"Nah, ah, ah," James waggled his index finger back at her, grinning. "Correction. I'm getting _Inhumans_ killed. Big difference these days, ain't it?" He looked as pleased as pie, watching the three of them be cornered. 

"You son of a bitch," Daisy said, narrowing her eyes, side stepping just slightly so she and Asia were shoulder to shoulder, setting up without looking like it, getting ready to fight. Even after all this time, they shared that likeness, always. Neither were going down without a good battle first. "How could you do this to us?" 

"Us? How could you do this to _me_?" James scoffed back, losing his playful, winning tone and becoming angrier by the second. "You did this, you turned me into this freak of nature, Daisy. That's on you. You remember that, cause that's why this little party is happening right now."

Daisy's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed. "You were _obsessed_ with going through Terrigenesis. You were begging to go through with it. And I let you, because you wanted to do it." She shouted back, not letting him get away with pinning this whole thing on her. 

"No, no, no, I didn't ask for _this_. To get mixed up with Hive? Be bloody miserable and followed everywhere I go? Hell no. If I could take it all back, we wouldn't even be here right now. I'd do it in a heartbeat," James explained, shaking his head. "Inhumans are a scourge, a plague to this world. The Watch Dogs have the right idea, if you ask me. So I struck up a deal, naturally. I am going to help them hunt down and kill every last Inhuman." At that note, two of the Watch Dogs shoved Asia and Daisy to their knees, Daisy wincing and crying out in pain as one squeezed her bad shoulder. 

"You're going to be hunted and killed like the animals you are," James continued to explain. He knelt down beside the two of them, grinning once more. "And then I'll be the last one to go." Like some weird murder-suicide pact.

"Do you...really hate yourself that much?" Asia asked, gaze flickering over to James for the first time in a while. She didn't understand it. Of all the things she had felt about being Inhuman, actual hatred over it was never one. But she was also born for a life like this, and James was not.

"Psh, I don't hate myself. I hate _all_ of us," James whispered back, looking her in the eyes evenly. She had to fight not to shudder in response. Asia Monroe didn't shudder in the face of danger. James stood up, sighing and dusting off his hands, turning to walk away.

Asia looked at Jemma and gave her a small, reassuring smile, then turned to Daisy. It was time. Time to get the fuck out of here. Daisy thrust one of her hands to the ground, palm down, sending out a wave of backlash towards the circle of guards surrounding them. As one fell back, a booted foot connected under Asia's jaw for a moment, forcing her head up, stars appearing in her vision for a moment as her head spun. That was one moment of backlash she hadn't expected.

The building rattle around them, debris falling everywhere, raining from the roof. And then Jemma was grabbing the two of them and hauling them to their feet as the lights flickered above. There wasn't much time and they had to get out. Still dizzy, Asia managed to get her footing and move down the hall as Jemma fired Icer shots down the hall, taking down a couple of Watch Dogs attempting to get up after them. "Catch them!" She heard one of the men shout, and fear thudded like blood in her ears. 

They were in a maze, essentially. A really small, contained, dimly lit maze. They could hear the shouts of the Watch Dogs down different halls, calling out to find them. Jemma checked the corners with her gun at the ready as Asia left slick ice patches down various halls at random, in hopes they wouldn't see them and fall flat. 

"Here, here," Daisy said in a hissed whisper, ushering them into an open storage room, Jemma slowly rolling the door down to rest, consuming them in complete darkness. It was like the vaccuum of space, minus any stars, as the three women pressed back into the further, darkest corner and huddled, quiet but for their hushed breath. Asia could hear footsteps out there, and held her breath tightly, laying small ground work of ice beneath the door, freezing it into place. Too bad that wouldn't stop them from being fish in a barrel if the Watch Dogs decided to shoot through the door.

"Are you alright?" Jemma asked Daisy when the footsteps had subsided. She wasn't looking great, and Jemma knew certainly that initial blast must have been incredibly painful. She was probably running on adrenaline right now, but that would fall away eventually and she would feel it all again. 

"I've been better," Daisy admitted with a wince, as she leaned against the wall to let it support her. "You did a good job out there. Sorry for getting you clocked in the face, Asia." Daisy took a deep, pained breath as she slid slowly to sit on the floor.

"You did, too," Jemma admitted, even if she didn't exactly want to. "But no more of that today. Let us handle the rest. Do something like that again and you'll likely break every bone in your arm. And that doesn't just get fixed as nicely as you would hope it would." She looked at Daisy, eyes growing quite serious.

"I got it from here," Asia affirmed, crouching down on the floor in front of them, finally able to pause and catch her bearings. At least the entire world wasn't spinning anymore, so she finally felt like she could contribute something here. "And, just remember. Shield will be on the way. We have backup coming." This was said partly for Jemma and Daisy, and partly for her own benefit, as a remind. Not all was lost.

Suddenly, from outside, one of the doors in the hall rattled. Asia's hands raised up, ready for whatever may come next. If she had to barricade them in for hours...she'd do it. Hopefully she could do it. That would be exhausting, and it was already getting warmer than she would like in this tiny cube. 

"Perfect night for a little mayhem," They heard James drawl from outside. "Wouldn't you say, _Quake_? And you brought me a little friend with Ms. Monroe. Never thought we'd get to her, being right in the center of Shield all the time, but here we _are_." He punctuated the words, and then there was a rolling sound far away. Something Asia couldn't quite put her finger on.

An explosion rocked the building. "We have to get out of here," Daisy breathed quietly. "He's really going to kill us." 

"You know," They could still hear James shouting out his monologue. "Killing you really might not bring me inner peace...." He paused, and Asia tensed, ready to move. She wouldn't have long if something happened. "But it sure will feel good as hell," he finished finally. There was another rolling sound, closer, and suddenly the metal door in front of them was blown off, knocking the three of them back. Instantly, Asia was moving, crouching up, getting in front of Daisy and Jemma. She would be their last line of defense, if she had to.

James came to the doorway, as she knew he would. Her first shot was a blast of cool ice which thrust him backwards. But he just grinned and shook his head, stepping back up and into the room. The heat that rolled off of him was excruciating to Asia, something that seemed to pierce her right down to her organs. He grinned at her, shaking his head as if chiding her for her mistake, as he yanked a metal chain off the wall, running the links through his hand. She watched in horror as the links began to glow red hot with fire and his eyes were glowing.

Asia put her hands up, a shield of ice shaped much like a visor spreading out before her, a last ditch effort to block his onslaught. He whipped the chain back and cracked it onto her shield, which shattered. Instantly, she brought up another, arms and legs shaking with exertion. She wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. He cracked his chain down again, and once more it shattered her shield. She fought to muster up another one, which was thin, weak, it wouldn't block much of anything. 

James grinned and snapped the chain back like a whip once more, but the chain stayed back, frozen in time, in space. It was then Asia realized James wasn't the only thing here made of flame.


	13. Chapter 13

There was a moment when Asia's breath caught in her throat and she thought perhaps this was her sister. Her sister had been called in from her safehouse where she lived and trained with Hunter and had come to save her. But then a figure stepped into the light which was clearly of a man. He wore a black leather jacket with white accents and had hair that was just as black the night, trimmed short and close to his head. And he had just yanked the glowing red chain out of James' hand.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are buddy, but you've just made a big mistake," James chided, shaking his head as he stared down the newcomer. He had been just about ready to finish off the three Agents huddled in the room until this guy had felt the need to interrupt. 

"That's funny," The man said, eyes narrowing as he stared down James, unafraid. "I was just about to say the same thing." 

"Robbie?" Daisy called out, carefully picking herself up to her feet, dusting off her legs with her still-good arm. "What are you doing here?" 

As soon as Daisy said his name, Asia had a feeling she knew _exactly_ who this was. Because of the reports from Leo and Mack, the notes that Daisy had been running around with another vigilante, one who could burst into a skull of flames when provoked. The way she responded to his arrival made the brunette pretty certain that this was that man. 

"Take the stairs," Robbie replied, not taking his eyes off of James, his target. He knew a threat when he saw one, and any sign that he didn't have his full attention could provoke a strike in retaliation. Robbie wanted to be ready when that moment came. "Find Agent Coulson, he's here with backup. Go, now." 

Without needing another thought, Asia began to herd her team of three of out the room and around the corner, towards the stairs. Coulson had brought backup for her, just as she had hoped. She was exhausted, drained, and could barely limp out of there herself, but she knew if she got to her team, they would be ok. 

She paused for a second in the stairs, heaving, breath difficult to come by still. It had been a long, long time since she had felt that physically exerted. The last time she had been so out of control she had sucked Ward's little agents dry just to survive. She wasn't about to accidentally do that to Jemma or Daisy. The concrete wall of the stairwell felt cool on her skin, a small relief against the pain her entire body felt from being so close to the fire. She wished to just curl up here in the stairs like a ball and stay until it was all done with, until nothing but cool air washed over her skin. She felt like she was cracking apart from how hot and dry it was in here.

But of course, Jemma wouldn't let her stop. She saw Asia kneel down and paused, turning around to help her stand back up, taking Asia's arm and putting it over her own shoulder to help support her. "Come on now, nearly there," Jemma said through slightly gritted teeth. 

"You don't have to help me," Asia murmured, still grateful for the support she was being provided as she nearly tripped down the stairs. "I can just stay right here."

"Now what would Leo say if I let that happen?" Jemma snorted in retort, shaking her head. "Let's get out of here and find Coulson. We'll get you all cooled down." This wouldn't have been a problem normally, if Asia was wearing the suit that she had designed in the Lab with Leo. This is precisely why Jemma had made it - because if she overheated, it didn't go well.

As they practically tumbled out of the stairs and back through the door which connected to the fireworks shop, they were greeted with a flashlight beam to the face. Asia winced, the light slightly blinded, until it was averted. "Simmons, Monroe," Coulson familiar, warm voice hit her ears like an ocean wave. She would have collapsed to the ground with relief, if it weren't for Jemma supporting her. 

"What are you doing here?" Mack asked, moving forward to take over supporting Asia from Jemma. The larger agent had no problem taking on Asia's full weight as she leaned against him. Vaguely, she could hear Jemma explaining why they had wound up here in the first place. She knew there were questions she should be asking herself, but it felt wrong to do so right now. She didn't think she even had the strength to open her mouth and form the words.

"Well it's a good thing we brought Robbie Reyes then, fight fire with fire," she heard Coulson note, before they heard the exploding crash from the next room over, and the sound of something _heavy_ colliding with boxes and cardboard and shelving, and eventually, the floor.

"Did two fire dudes just drop into a warehouse full of explosive devices?" She heard Mack mutter beside her, annoyance twinging his voice. "Come on Frosty, we're getting you out of here." His voice was warm in her ear, like everything around her was warm, but they were moving again, Mack practically carrying her as he jogged towards the exit.

And then they were outside, and in the humid, slightly cooler air, and Asia felt like she could finally start to breathe again, finally move her legs a little bit on her own accord. Thankfully, they were far enough away when the building behind them erupted into flame and fireworks, dancing lights firing off into the night sky. It was hot, the air billowing towards them, causing Asia to stumble on her feet, backwards, if it weren't for Mack reaching out and catching her. Gods, she needed an ice bath, badly. 

Out of the flames, a figure immerged. The group of Shield Agents, with Daisy along, watched with baited breath, hoping it wasn't James. But it wasn't. It was _Robbie Reyes_ , dragging James' limp body behind him with the same chain James had tried to turn against them all.

"You wanted him alive, right?" Robbie said, looking to Coulson with a grim face, lips pressed into a thin yet determined line. Then Robbie began to undo the chain from around James' wrist, and slung it over his shoulder, trudging off towards the ship that had brought them here. 

Asia turned to watch him, the her gaze flicked over to Coulson. "Good job, Agent Coulson," she said, her voice coming out hoarse and cracked, like the sound of someone's boot on dry leaves in the fall. "Keep it up. I'm going back to the ship..." she had a tub full of ice water calling her name. An hour so in that, and she would feel as right as rain.

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Coulson, Asia, and Jemma stopped by Radcliff's house, both to pick up May, and also pick up Leo. May was back on her feet, cured from whatever paranoia sickness had overwhelmed her, thanks to Radcliff and his hard work. They rang the doorbell and waited outside. Asia's hair was still wet at the tips, and her skin had a dewy glow of moisture. The bath on the flight back had put back all the pep in her step which she had lost. 

The door opened, revealing Radcliff's familiar, weathered face and slightly white beard that he kept clipped close to his cheeks. He grinned when his eyes landed on her. "Ahh, Asia. Pleasure to have you back here. Shame you missed the football game the other week." 

Asia smiled back politely and nodded. "Maybe next time. Busy work lately, you know how it is." She wasn't sure he did, wasn't sure he cared about the constraints of having an actual list of tasks to complete by end of day. Radcliff stepped aside to let them into his humble but rather well done house. Asia had been here a handful of times before but knew the layout relatively well now. 

Stepping into the living room, she saw Leo leaning against a couch from May, and to his right was a tall, pretty brunette woman who Asia had never met before. She was tall, taller than Leo and May both, with hair that was brown like dark chocolate, with strands colored by time spent naturally in the sun. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her skin as flawless as her figure was in the demure, grey dress she wore. She looked...perfect, in a way that made Asia uncomfortable. So as she so often did, she blinked her eyes for a moment and while they were shut, she scanned the water in the room. 

After all, she liked to know when she was dealing with a new Inhuman.

But signs of an Inhuman were certainly not what she got when her eyes opened back up, widened in surprise at what she had sensed. As Coulson stepped forward to shake the woman's hand, and as she introduced herself as _Aida_ , Asia Monroe did not step forward to stay hello. Instead, she stood back by the wall, arms crossed over her chest and eyes narrowed as she studied the woman. She couldn't believe this was why Leo had been all _weird_ lately. And that he had hid something like this from her.

"Hey," Leo said standing beside her, grabbing her forearm and steering her down one of the halls. "Um, hello. I'm glad you're here. Glad you're ok. I heard about how everything went today, how you were without your suit." He seemed nervous, and her eyes narrowed further, studying him. 

"Yea, thanks," she said, raising an eyebrow at him in question. "So, I see why you've been spending so much time here." She watched him pale slightly and ask her what she meant. "Aida. I'm not blind, she's beautiful." She rolled her eyes, glancing back over her shoulder at the imposter standing in the living room, before she turned her gaze back to her boyfriend.

"I, er, is she?" Leo asked, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I guess she is, I hadn't really noticed. I prefer classical beautify myself, I prefer _you_ , really."

"Leo," Asia rolled her eyes again and shook her head, slightly bemused he thought she was actually jealous of an _android_. Because that's what Aida was, after all. When she had scanned her for signs of water, there was none. She wasn't a living person, whoever she was. "She looks really real, which is pretty impressive. If she had actual water flowing through her, I might not have picked up on it. And her behavior is so lifelike." 

"That's....some really odd things to say about a person," Leo said slowly, eyes widening as he looked down at her, lower lip dropping as he watched his girlfriend closely. 

"Leo, I'm not an idiot. She's an android," Asia said flatly. He looked at her, unblinking for a moment. "You...do know she's an android, right?" She asked after a moment, unsure if she had just threw the cat out of the bag, but also not really caring. 

"Yes, yes, of _course_ I know she's an android," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper as he stepped closer to her, one hand on either of her shoulders. "Why do you think her dynamic reaction force is so low? Because I designed it!" His words were emphasized as if he were shouting, but each came out quiet enough so only she could hear him speak.

"So why didn't you tell me?" Asia asked back in protest. That was the part of this very odd situation which stung the most. He had kept something this big and important from her, for this long. "It's a bit insulting, honestly." She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

"Well I _wanted_ to!" Fitz said back with equal passion. "But obviously, the new Director cannot know, you can't tell him. And he gives you lie-detector tests all the time. I know you're absolutely brilliant at passing those things, love, but what if something slips you up? What if you have to admit that secret to avoid a worse one?" 

"Well, the next one is tomorrow...so I guess I have some time to prepare for what comes next," Asia sighed, rubbing one hand against her forehead. It would be easy enough to lie, she imagined. She had gotten away with hiding the important stuff every other time it was vital to do so, so what would change here? She actually preferred it this way, having the time to think of what she would say. That was the key, really. She _could_ lie and pass a test on the fly, but preparing and knowing what she would be saying if someone did ask made it all the easier. 

Asia glanced over her shoulder, back at the living room where Jemma stood with Coulson and Aida and Radcliff, thinking about the events of today. There were still so many things she had to tell Leo about. And, it appeared, a good handful of things she was going to have to cover up tomorrow.


	14. Chapter 14

"You go get the book," Asia directed Coulson as she stood before him, Mack, and May, hands clasped in front of her as she detailed their mission. Coulson had explained everything to her about what they had found, why they had brought Robbie, and why getting this book back was so important. "I'll be here at base unless you need me. When you have an update, let me know, and I will set up a secure line for us to communicate." She had to stay at base to at least complete her assignments for the day and her lie detector test. She was hoping maybe to join them later in the evening, if she could.

"I'll keep you posted on Leo's status for the....ghost cure," She continued, words sounding weird in her mouth. That certainly wasn't a phrase she ever expected to say, but this was Shield after all. Expect the unexpected and all that. If she started getting comfortable here, then she knew something was really wrong. 

"Thank you, Agent Monroe," Coulson said with a nod, before turning to look at his team. "Well, we've got our orders. Let's get to it." Asia watched as her team walked up the ramp to the Zephyr, knowing full well she was letting them that Robbie and Daisy along with them. There was a dull ache of frustration that beat at her heart, but she pushed it back. She had said what she needed to say. What Daisy did with that was her own prerogative.

As the plane took off before her, Asia sighed and balled her hands into fists for a moment, before releasing them. She wanted to be on that plane more than anything. She felt like she was getting rusty, not being out there in the field. It meant she was going to have to up her training regimen again. She didn't want to run into another situation like at the storage facility. But she didn't want to just _train_. She wanted to be out there, helping people. Not just pushing around paper and filing reports. Even the thrill of being on the news didn't hold a candle to what it felt like to be in the field. 

She closed her eyes as the wind from the jets pushed hot against her skin, and thought back to last night. The fight she had had with Leo when they got back to base, and everything after. He was stressed out, she could tell, nervous because he had hidden something from her, even if it were with the best of intentions, and she had found it out. He was trying to compensate by talking now, and talking way too much....

_"It's a good thing you're sending them after that book," he had said, as he unbuttoned his grey shirt in favor of a soft sweater to sleep in. "Cause you know, from what Coulson told me, it's pretty bad. He called it...what was the name again, the Dar-"_

_Asia cut him off, holding up a finger quietly. "Don't," she said in a soft voice, shaking her head. "I've got enough to lie about already, you're just adding more to the pile with all of that." She looked at him, frown on her face, and all he wanted to do was take thatr away and make it better._

_"I am sorry you know, for hiding things. I didn't mean to add Aida to your pile of problems. I wanted to tell you, I did. I knew you'd be excited by her, find her fascinating. I just-"_

_Asia cut him off again, eyes narrowing. " **It.** " Her voice was sharp and cold like a fresh knife. "Find **it** fascinating. It is your project, not 'she,' not 'her.' It doesn't matter how lifelike you made it, Leo. It's a robot." She hadn't realized how annoyed the lie about Aida really had made her. Perhaps some of it had to do with the fact he and Radcliff had decided their robot needed to look like a model. But most of it stemmed from the fact he had hidden something so important from her. "Look, I get that you didn't want to hide things from me. But you did, and that hurts." Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. _

_Leo stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. For a split moment she was stiff against him, before she collapsed and sighed into his hug. "I'm sorry, Asia. I really am...." he sighed, shaking his head as he ran one hand through her hair. "Somedays it feels like no matter the decision I make, it isn't the right one. I don't want you to think I don't trust you."_

_"Then rely in me," Asia said back, voice muffled against his shirt. "Trust that I can keep your secrets. You know I'm a good liar. Nat...taught me well. I've done it before, I can do it again."_

_"But if something happens, then it's my fault. I don't know if I could handle that," he said back, pulling back slightly to look in her eyes and run a thumb over her lower lip. "What have you lied about before then?" He said, looking for reassurance. A small smile drifted over her lips._

_"It was back when we first got to the Playground. When we needed to get our lanyards," she explained, remembering back to that time when they were all questioned. If she closed her eyes, it was like it was yesterday. Back before she had even admitted to Leo she cared about him. She remembered running into Leo in the hallway in a towel and how it had almost made her hyperventilate. "He asked me what if I knew about Project Insight. You know, what Shield did as a response to the Battle of New York. I said I didn't really, only heard the name and that wasn't true. I actually helped in detailing one of the carriers, who was on board. Sort of a project to prove myself with Strike Team Delta." She shrugged, then paused._

_Another wry smirk crossed her lips. "Oh yea, and the question about what was in a box with me on a deserted island. I said my team, when he asked. But if I closed my eyes, all I saw was you." It was a silly admission, one that made her feel carved open and bare before him. It was an incredibly vulnerable state._

_"Oh yea?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers. "That's funny, because my answer was you." As cold as she was naturally, she felt warm all the way down to her toes in that moment. His lips brushed against hers and she couldn't help but smile into the kiss. "I trust you, Asia Penelope Monroe," he whispered against her lips. "I always have. With everything. My secrets, my stories, my life." She felt the truth in his words. As he lead her backwards towards their bed, she had no intention of stopping him...._

Asia opened her eyes, looking up at the sky and sighing, shaking her head before stomping her foot against the concrete beneath her. "Ahhh... _fuck_!" she cursed, clenching her fists again. She was really going to have to go after them, wasn't she? She couldn't bear to be here, back at base, doing nothing while they fought to save the world again. That wasn't her. She wasn't the person who stood back. 

Her Director really wasn't going to be happy with her for this one...but she didn't feel as if she had much a choice. She surveyed the room before jogging towards the closest open Quinnjet. She had a plane to catch.

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The sky was open before her as she piloted the Quinnjet, smaller but faster than the Zephyr, in their wake. She would catch them soon, probably in the next ten minutes or so. Sighing, she pressed a button on the dash and dialed in Director Mace for a video call. "Hello, sir," she greeted, attempting to be cheery as he answered.

His eyes narrowed as he saw her. "Agent Monroe. That certainly looks a lot like the interior of a Quinnjet behind you, and not the Lab where you should be checking in with Jemma on a status for the cure update." He studied her closely, with a calculating gaze as he awaited her response. 

"Yes, well," Asia sighed, "That's because I am in a Quinnjet. I sent my team out on a mission today, and as they left, I realized I couldn't let them go it alone. They're my team, my responsibility. I can't just let them go into something dangerous while I sit back at base and do nothing. I've been doing that since you promoted me, and if I'm being honest, sir, I hate it. I'm miserable. So, if you don't like a department head who also goes on missions with their team, then you should probably demote me now. Because that's who I am and it's not going to change." She took a steady breath inward after she spoke, something inside her releasing with the comfort that she had opened and been out with it after all this time. She loved her job, but she loved all parts of it. She needed to be out here today.

Mace was quiet for a while, studying her closely, before he grinned. "Monroe, I can't fault you for that. I want your team, _our_ team, to triumph. Today, you trusted me with how you were feeling, and you trusted your gut and went to help out your team. That is great. Keep up attitude like that and you'll be promoted again in no time!" His words seemed earnest, and it caused Asia to falter for a moment. This wasn't exactly how she expected the conversation to go. "But hey, don't think this means you get out of your mandatory lie detector test. It'll be waiting when you get back."

"Copy that, sir," Asia said, ending the call. His unspoken words echoed in her head as she flew towards the Zephyr. _A team that trusts is a team that triumphs._


	15. Chapter 15

"Agent Monroe," Coulson greeted as she climbed down the ladder into the Zephyr. "This is a bit of a surprise, I would say...what exactly are you doing here?" As she hopped off the ladder and turned around, she was surprised to find Leo standing beside of him.

She cocked her head slightly to the side, "I decided I was needed here more than I was back at base," she explained, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me you were bringing Agent Fitz?"

"He didn't tell me, either," Coulson shrugged, "For what it's worth. And I think you're needed more here, too," he agreed, his support the admission she had needed to know she was doing the right thing after all. 

It was Leo's turn to shrug then, as Asia's sharp, Head-Of-A-Department gaze fell upon him. "I had gotten pretty far along on the work this morning and I thought they could benefit from me here, too. I didn't want to make things any more stressful for you today then they were already about to be, so I figured I would come here now and tell you about the danger later." While it still annoyed her slightly, she couldn't deny he had a point. She would have been thinking about him all day if he had gone with and she was aware. At least she was here now to ensure he was not doing anything _too_ dangerous.

"Well, we're glad to have you either way," Coulson confirmed again with a nod. "Want me to break down our plan so far?" 

"Yes, please," Asia nodded as they walked along the halls, the three of them headed for the main bridge of the Zephyr. It was time she let the others know of her arrival, as well. And that included Daisy. 

One thing the entire last mission had made Asia realize was that she was sick and tired of letting Daisy think she didn't have anyone there to support her, that no one would _want_ to support her. Asia Monroe had learned the hard way that not everything was in her control. That she couldn't hold all the pain and death and accidents as her fault. And now it was time for Daisy to learn the same lessons and quit running around without them trying to fix things alone and only hurting herself more in the process. And Asia was planning on ensuring that happened.

"Great, well, May and I are about to head down to the prison. They've agreed to let us take Eli Morrow into our custody, thanks to some solid paperwork by May," Coulson explained. "We just have to sign some things on their end and we're good to go, so we'll just take the Quinnjet down there and fill out whatever they need, then be on our way back. He should be our key to finding the Darkhold." 

An unusual shiver ran through Asia's body as Coulson said that name. She hadn't heard the actual name of the thing till now, for fear of spilling it in her lie detector test. But frankly, after this morning, she didn't really care that much about the stupid test. She had stood up to Mace and gotten away with it, she could do so again. All the same, the name of the book left her with a sense of discomfort.

"That sounds like a good start," She replied nonetheless. "Once we have the book, we can figure out what we need to do with it next." She wanted to pitch it into an incinerator personally, if it would stop these ghost things from existing. As they entered the bridge area, Asia gave Mack and May a smile and a small nod. Both looked rather surprised to see her here, which was, in itself, expected. She wasn't out on missions all that often these days. 

"Alright, Agent May," Coulson said with a sigh, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt. "We've got Agent Monroe's blessing, let's get down there and see what we can find out." May nodded, moving towards the door, only pausing for a moment beside Asia for the two to exchange silent nods. Neither expected this part of the mission to be alltogether long or difficult.

So when not more than thirty minutes later, Coulson was radioing the Zephyr, a note of urgency in his voice, needless to say they were all surprised.

"Monroe, heads up, the Prison's been compromised!" His voice came through on their comms, followed by the sound of something being pushed across a floor. A barrier, presumably, that they were having to make somewhere. 

"Let me guess," Asia sighed, shaking her head as she paced across the floor of the bridge. "The whole ghost gang is there?" She wished she had eyes on the scene so she could formulate their next best step. 

"Yea, I've got them on the security cameras right now. Lucy Bauer leading her whole brigade down the hall right now," Couslon confirmed. "They must be here for Eli, too." 

"Send me a screencap of that, please," She said back to Coulson, before glancing over her shoulder at Mack. "Can you go get Robbie and Daisy? I want them both down here for this briefing. For all the briefings moving forward. If they're on my ship working with _my_ crew, they're going to start acting like they belong here." He nodded back and disappeared from the bridge, off to search for their two wayward members. 

"Sending the image to you now," Coulson said, as on a screen in front of her the grainy footage of Lucy Bauer in her grey clothes, with two others along side of her, frozen in time moving down one of the halls of the prison. They appeared to be inspecting the different cells. They were definitely here for Eli, too. Call it a gut feeling, call it intuition, whatever you want, Asia knew that was their reasoning behind this visit.

"As requested," Mack announced but a minute later, walking back into the room with Daisy and Robbie trailing behind him. Daisy was wearing her suit, the one designed in the Lab, so she must have known what was coming up next.

"Great, glad you're here," Asia said, "It's time to get to work and get our team some backup." She clasped her hands in front of her as she spoke. "This is the screenshot that Coulson just sent over. Clearly, there's more than just one of them here. Which is going to be a problem, seeing they make everyone they touch go crazy. And there's a lot of pent of anger in here for them to get their hands on." She nodded towards the screen as the three took a look at it. 

"We have to assume they're targeting Eli Morrow, right?" Mack asked her, frowning at the screen. He hadn't expected there to be so many of them. 

"Wait, wait, targeting?" Robbie asked as Asia nodded, yes, to Mack's question. "Why are they after my uncle?"

"I mean, he did sort of put her husband into a coma, yea?" Daisy pointed out. "Kinda seems like a pretty good reason for wanting revenge." 

"Exactly," Asia nodded in agreement. "Now, we've got Coulson and May barricaded in the Warden's office here," she moved across the bridge to another screen which showed a large layout of the prison's map. She tapped one of the rooms, causing it to light up red in front of them. "Keep in mind, it's in the west wing." She turned back to the screen, grabbing and dragging it to zoom in on a different location before tapping a single cell. "Now this is Eli's cell. Cellblock E. East wing." She sighed, turning back around. "Notably opposite sides of the facility....because why not?" 

Asia shook her head, straightening her spine and taking on her leadership stance. "So, we're going to split into two teams. Daisy, you're with me. We're going to get Coulson and May out. Mack, you lead a team to grab Eli. I want you...taking Robbie with you." She turned, leveling her eyes on the man in the leather jacket. Perhaps it was a bad call, but one thing Clint had _always_ hammered into her was to use the resources she had available. And he was one hell of a resource, especially when he could actually fight these ghost things.

Robbie met her gaze for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks, that's my family down there. I appreciate it." Asia nodded back, gaze flicking to Mack. He looked apprehensive, but he wasn't about to question her calls, especially not in front of the team. 

"Remeber," Asia continued. "Icers only. We're not in here to take out people, especially when they could be affected by these ghosts. We're going to be alone in there...Shield is sending troops to surround the perimeter, but that won't be for a few hours. So it's just us. We have to have each other's backs." She looked at everyone individually, trying to convey the weight of this matter. Everyone nodded back to her and she felt satisfied that she had done her job here.

On her slim wrist, a watch beeped. Glancing down at it, she read the message from Leo appearing on the screen and smiled in spite of the situation. She turned to look at her team, slim smile of determination still on her lips. "Alright, Leo will be back with the Quinnjet in five minutes. That means we roll out in six. Get your gear and get ready."


	16. Chapter 16

"Look at you, all suited up for battle again," Leo said, voice almost with a hint of excitement, as he sidled up beside Asia. "How is your suit? I revamped it again for you, extra cooling abilities." He bit his lower lip as he looked her over, hopeful she was pleased with the changes he had made. 

Asia turned and smiled at him, wishing they were back home so she could lean in for a kiss. "Thank you, Leo. It's perfect. Like always." Then she sighed, glancing back over at her team. "We've all got a part to play in this. Mine is down there...and yours, is up here." She turned back to look at him. "I need you running comms for me on this one, I need you to have my back up here." 

"Yea, yea, I can do that," Leo sighed, looking at the cases of sanity cure he had brought with him. It felt like he was he was constantly being sidelined from the difficult stuff. He wanted to be out there, with her, fighting. He had been training, he could do it, would do it, if she asked him to.

"Hey," she said, cocking her head to the side and stepping a bit closer to him, hand on his shoulder. "You know it's because I trust you to make the right calls, right? There are few other people who I would trust, much less _want_ telling me what to do and where to go. You are at the top of that very short list." She smiled, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his, a wave of cool washing over the bare skin of his face.

"I know," he said after a moment, knowing she did mean it. "And you know I want to make sure you're safe. Why do you think I made so much of this cure?" He nodded at the cases. "Can't have you going all crazy eyed on me."

She rolled her eyes, but picked up one of the silver suitcases anyways. "Come on, it's time to go. Walk me out?" She gave him an endearing smile which Leo Fitz would never be able to say no to. So he nodded, picked up the other case, and followed her to the containment module where Daisy, Coulson, Mack, Robbie, Agent Davis, and a couple other agents where already waiting inside. 

She stepped in, and Leo passed the other case to Agent Davis. "There you all go. That will help you out if any of you get infected." He looked please, then looked to Asia as if he were hoping for a more personal goodbye. She reached out and squeezed his hand, giving him a small smile. They wouldn't be gone for long.

"So wait, do we use these just like an EpiPen?" Davis asked, looking down at the case he held in his left hand. If he wanted to be one thing for this mission, it was prepared. The fact that he was allowed to be on Agent Monroe's strike team at all was an honor, much less actually going out there _with_ Inhumans like her and Daisy. It was kickass. 

"Almost," Leo explained, falling into the casualness of describing he had helped create. "It's more efficient, I would say. In order to counteract the psychosis, you have to deliver that serum directly to the brain stem. So, the injector," He grabbed something thick and metal out of his suitjacket pocket, and placed it behind his head. "Needs to be placed right at the base of the skull like this." 

Asia stared at him blankly, blinking a couple of times. "You're kidding, right? Please tell me you're kidding." 

"Ah love, it's not that bad. Look, it wouldn't even hurt," he grinned cheekily at her, bringing the device back around and clicking it, a three pronged need opening up at the top.

Before she could say another word of protest, the doors to their white capsule slid shut, and she was being catapulted downward through the sky.

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Containment Chamber 68 landed softly in the parking lot of the prison, air and wind gusting around them, leaves being tossed all about. But the parking lot was desolate, no guards, no one waiting for them to arrive. As Asia stepped out into the sunlight, she looked around, studying the facility, their surroundings. Most likely, the guards were inside. Most likely, they were not themselves right now. 

"Alright everyone," She began stepping towards the side of the building where Coulson and May would be. "Remember, the employees here are probably going to think we're demons or ghosts or something horrible, but they aren't themselves. Keep your heads down, keep your eyes out. Don't let anyone get the jump on you." 

"Yes, Ma'am," Davis said with a sharp nod, adjusting his hold on his gun. Asia had to look away from her team so that no one saw her smirking at his reaction. 

She turned and met Mack's gaze, nodding at him. He nodded back. She appreciated having Mack on her team, appreciated how far the two of them had come. From hating each other for existing, to having each other's backs in times of trouble. It was quite the friendship arch, that was for sure. And there was no one else she would want leading the half of the team she wasn't going to be with. "See you on the other side," she called out, before turning and walking briskly towards the door that would lead them to their trapped teammates.

Inside the prison, things were quiet. Far too quiet, which they all knew meant things were afoot. As they neared the entrance to the Warden's office area, Asia stopped them all with a flick of her hand out, flat in the air. She looked at Davis and gave him a nod. He'd lead first, with the Icer Rifle, and handle any guards who were inside. 

There were two in the hallway, waiting. He shot them with precision, then continued to move forward at Asia's nod of recommendation. He reached forward cautiously, grabbing a door handle and pushing it open, stepping back as he did so. Instantly, May was in the hallway, fists raised. She paused when she noticed who was in front of her.

"We're here to rescue you," Asia explained, glancing down another side hallway and noticing the slumped bodies against the walls. "Seems like you're kind of doing pretty well on that front just the two of you, though." 

"We wanted to save you some work and meet halfway," Coulson shrugged. "Have you managed to get Eli Morrow?"

"Not yet, but Mack's on it right now," Asia explained. "He's got Robbie as backup, but not that we've got the gang back together, we should probably go provide them some support." She tapped her ear, bringing her comms to life. "Leo, can you route us to Mack please? I have a feeling there's a whole slew of guards waiting around these halls for us."

"On it," Leo said from up in the sky, before quickly rattling off a route plan to her, where to turn, what areas were looking like they were pretty hot. While he did, Davis and Coulson worked on giving the Warden and his agents the dose of serum which would end their psychosis. Then Coulson, May, Daisy, and Asia moved to help Mack, leaving Davis and his teammate behind to assist the prison staff.

"Alright now, it's going to be of a public route through the cells, but it's the most direct route to Eli," Leo explained as he guided them through a doorway and into a hall lined with bars. Daisy paused, eyes landing on the hand of a man in one of the cells. 

"Asia..." She said, voice coming out almost choked, both of their eyes locking in on the same dog-shaped tattoo on the back of the man's hand. 

"I see it," She said, voice also low. "It's gotta be how they're recruiting...through the prison system....which we already knew was corrupt, but this adds a whole knew level of bad." A nervous pool started to settle in her gut. 

"They're spending all their time here uniting against us, and then they get back out into the real world and..." Daisy trailed off. Both knew all to well what came after that pause in her sentence. They had been fighting against it for the last year and a half. 

"Hey look," One of the men said, leaning up against the bars and narrowing his eyes as they passed. "It's Shield. That government group who protects the _freaks_." The last word was spat out, a glob of saliva landing on the floor in front of them.

"So if they're protectin them...which one of ya is the freak?" Another hissed out, thick hands gripped on the bars of his cell, bars which suddenly looked like toothpicks which could be snapped in half on a whim. 

"Ignore them," Asia said, narrowing her eyes and moving forward. She wanted to reach out and grip Daisy's hand in her own, but that would only give these men more fuel for their shitty, shitty fire. It was best if they just got out of here, and quick.

"Wait, " May said, nodding with her pistol towards the barred gate in front of them. On the other side, safely in a different hall, stood the ghostly figure of Lucy Bauer. 

She looked like a horror-movie specter if Asia had ever seen one - the kind of thing that haunted your dreams, or that you saw standing at the foot of your bed when you woke from a nightmare. Her skin was gaunt, a sickly pale yellow-grey that bled through into the surroundings around her, like a smeared charcoal drawing. She looked like a living zombie, like a makeup artist experience gone bad. And she was grinning at them in a sickly fashion, as if she knew something terrible was about to happen and she felt no need to warn them.

She grabbed a level on the wall, her hand somehow corporeal enough to grab the device and turn it down. She gave them one more wicked grin, before she vanished into thin air right before their very eyes. 

As she left, the sound of metal started to groan all around them, like an unearthly cry from the depths of the underworld itself, as souls were freed to walk among the living again. And in a small sense, this was a true, as every one of the prison cell doors behind them became unlocked, setting the captured men free.


	17. Chapter 17

"Shit!" She heard Leo curse over the comms, as blood started to pump rapidly in her ears, the men in each cell beginning to step out into the open space of the hall around them. "Fuck!" He continued to curse, and she could practically see the intense, pinched look on his face as he slammed a palm on the desk in front of him, or pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. 

"Leo, Babe," Asia said, a hint of fear touching her voice over comms, one that brought him right back in to the present, focusing on the task at hand. "We could reaaaaally use this door opening up right about now."

"Asia if I open that door," He words caught in his throat for a moment as he weighed the two horrible outcomes, "It'll unlock every single door in cellblock A." He rubbed a hand over his face. "That's security wings, exterior exits, more cell doors," He listed off the things on his fingers, ready to keep going before her voice cut through to him, tried and true, once more.

"Leo, _just do it_." There was an urgency in her voice her wasn't certain if he had ever before. With shaking hands, he began to type at the keyboard in front of him, doing as she had directed.

Asia heard the small click of metal on metal, and pushed hard against the door behind them. It opened, thankfully, blessfully, allowing them into the hallway. "Go!" Asia shouted the order as May took down two of the prison inmates with quick Icer shots. The four of them were shoving their way into the hall, through other unlocked doors, trying to put as much space between them and the men as possible.

And they continued to run, pushing through doors, across open spaces, down quick turns and wide hallways. Asia could outrun all of them, if she wanted to. But it would be at the expense of her team....and she would never leave them behind. So she stayed pace with them all, letting Coulson open a door and fire several Icer shots behind them as they all dashed inside what was the prison's large cafeteria, now barren except for empty tables. After they were all in, they immediately began shoving whatever shelves and tables they could in front of the door. 

"Asia, your exit is going to be on the North side of that cafeteria," Leo explained over comms. "I'm going to try and route you guys to a secure cellblock until we can get some backup to you and get you out." 

"Go, that way," Asia directed instantly, pointing towards a door kittycorner to where they stood. The squad of four began dashing around tables, their movement as quick as it could without toppling or tripping over anything. Behind them, the sound of metal on metal and clashing could be heard as the prisoners pushed through their haphazard baracade. 

"We're never going to make it!" Coulson shouted, breathing heavily as he pulled open the door for Asia and May to dash through. As Daisy reached the doorway, she came to a stop, a look of realization dawning on her face.

"You're going to make it," she said, grabbing Coulson by the shoulder and shoving him through the door, May catching him as she did so. Then, their missing teammate shoved the door shut, hand slammed down on the handle and knocking it loose, locking them all inside.

"Daisy, no!" Asia slammed a fist against the glass of the door window, a splash of frost racing across it as she did so, anger and fear flaring up uncontrollably inside of her. She could see the siege of men racing towards Daisy in the background as she tried and failed to force the door open.

"This is my fight, not yours," Daisy said, looking at Asia and shaking her head. She placed her hand on the glass, palm to palm with Asia's own, before turning away to face the oncoming mob.

"Daisy!" Asia shouted, pounding her fist against the glass again, but with no luck. "Leo," she spoke rapidly over comms, worried for a moment he might not understand what she was saying. "Nearest access to a water pipe, now." This voice wasn't her usual one, her voice of a fair leader, one who listened and understood and provided feedback. This was an order, not to be questioned. 

And Leo knew damn well what she was planning on doing. His gut instinct was to ask her if she was sure, but if she was asking him for this, something must be urgent. "50 paces down the hall, door to your left is a bathroom." He said quickly, with no hesitation.

"Thanks," she said, already moving down the hall, reading herself to do what she had been practicing over the past year. "Route Coulson and May back into the cafeteria, anyway you can. I'll explain later." She didn't stop to look if they were following her, didn't care if they were or not. They couldn't go where she was about to; no one could.

In the bathroom, Asia dashed to a sink, throwing both handles on full power. She gripped the sides of the white porcelain and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. There was no going back if she did this right. She could feel the water splashing into the bowl of the sink, rhythmic like a heartbeat, one that matched her own. She could feel the power of it, where it was coming from, where it could lead her to. With her mind, she followed the path, branching off, searching, searching....bingo. 

On the camera where Leo Fitz watched from above in the Zephyr, her saw his girlfriend standing above the sink as if in a trace. "Come on, come on," he muttered to himself, one hand up, finger resting on his lower lip. And then before his eyes, he watched her disappear completely from the screen. 

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Daisy swung out wildly at the next Watchdog recruit coming her way, fist connecting with his nose, a sharp crack emanating around them as he fell back with a shudder, crashing to the floor. She jumped up onto one of the tables, swinging out her leg to collide with another. Suddenly, something slammed into her back, knocking the wind out of her, causing her vision to fade in and out for a moment.

High above her, pipes ran over the ceiling of the cafeteria, zig-zagging their way around the entire facility. It was too high up for her or for the prisoners to notice, but condensation began to gather along the brown metal, pooling enough to form one clear drop of moisture. The water continued to pool and grow, until finally it fell, one single drop in the middle of the chaos, dancing down towards the table where Daisy was regaining her balance. 

Daisy heard something in her confusion, a light splash, and the pressure on the table shifted. Daisy turned and watched before her eyes as a figure, clear blue, translucent at first appeared beside her, before solidifying, colors coming to life before her eyes. Asia Monroe, in the flesh, whirling into a fighting stance and lashing out with three quick jabs at their nearest foes. A wave of relief, one she didn't expect but still couldn't control, collided over her at the sight of the brunette, swinging and whirling, a coast of ice cover her fist as she pummeled the men around her. It was like a scene from a movie, unfolded before her eyes. 

But there was still a small flash on anger that ran through Daisy all the same. This was supposed to be her battle, her punishment for the losses she had caused. She didn't need a white knight swooping in to save her - she had to save herself. She had to save all of them, to atone for her sins. "What are you doing here?" She asked, standing back up straight and kicking out at another Watchdog, knocking him back.

"What does it look like?" Asia asked, taking out another Watchdog who ran at her. The unspoken _saving your ass_ hung in the air around the both of them. But even Asia recognized that perhaps now wasn't the time for snarky comments.

"I didn't ask you to come. You're supposed to be getting the others out of here!" Daisy shouted back, jumping off of the table and grabbing a nearby food tray, slamming it over one of the men's heads. 

"You didn't _have_ to ask me!" Asia snapped back in return, the two increasingly sounding like an old married couple as they bickered, still fighting as she did so. Asia pondered that this was probably a bad time to mention Coulson and May were working their way back here, too. 

"Well I don't want your help, then," Daisy said, dashing into the kitchen and taking a trail of Watchdogs in her wake. Asia didn't have time to follow, not even time to retort, as another flow of Watchdogs ran her way. She was getting pretty tired of just punching them, but it didn't really seem fair to use her powers. Not to mention, when they retold this story, and they would retell it, she didn't want them labeling her as someone who used her power without want or reason.

So she kept swinging, fists and feet colliding with faces, chests, whatever she could make contact with to take these men down. At least the flow of them had seemed to cease through the door. She just had to take out these last remaining ones and then she could go help Daisy with whatever was left of hers, if there were any. She set to work, brow narrowing with focus as she fought, using her surroundings to propel herself and take the advantage. While she was much smaller and probably not quiet as strong as these men, she knew how to fight.

It didn't take long. Three minutes, maybe. She tried to keep track but lost count in the flow of battle, the fight becoming like a dance to her, making her own music in her mind to the beat of each hit, colors erupting with each contact of fist to face. It was beautiful, albeit scary and dangerous.

And then she was sprinting for the kitchen, only to find Coulson and May already there, finishing off the last of the men who had Daisy pinned down. Thank goodness they had made it, Asia may have been just seconds too late to save Daisy's life from these Watchdog wannabes. 

"Glad you made it," Asia said, wiping her brow and sighing, leaning on her knees for a moment. "Haven't had a fight like that in a minute."

"Feels good to stretch your legs, doesn't it?" May said, slight smirk on her face. If there was anyone who understood the complex enjoyment of a good fight as well as Asia did, it was Melinda May. Then, she strode over to where Daisy was slumped by a dishwasher and offered her a hand, helping her stand back up. But it wasn't just a kind gesture.

" _That_ was suicidal, reckless, and completely moronic," May spat, her voice coming out quite like a mother berating a teenage daughter for sneaking out of the house. "How could you be so stupid and inconsiderate?"

"You weren't supposed to come back for me," Daisy muttered, wiping the back of her hand across her lower lip, taking away some dried blood with it. 

"We just saved your life!" Asia objected, stepping forward to stand beside May, crossing her arms over her chest. Daisy didn't get to just make up reasons to put herself in danger. She was an adult. This was real life - she could have died in there.

"Yea, at the risk of your own," Daisy objected, before casting her eyes down to the floor and muttering, "I didn't ask for you to do that." 

"You don't have to ask, don't you get that," Asia sighed, shaking her head turning to look at Coulson. He gave her a look and she shook her head again, fighting not to roll her eyes. She turned back to face Daisy. "We can debate your antics all we want later. Right now, we're getting out of here, and getting you a medic." 

"I don't need a medic, I'm fine," Daisy muttered back in protest, refusing to meet Asia's strong gaze.

"Not really up for debate though," Asia said casually, looking up to the ceiling. "Leo, what's the status on Mack's team and Morrow?" She needed some better news right about now.

"Quinnjet is on the way to the prison yard for extraction," Leo replied back almost instantly. "Mack's got Eli in his custody, they all got out safe. Erm, and Asia? The Director has been on the news while you've been down there. You're probably going to want to watch it when you get up." 

That was....odd. She couldn't think of a pointed reason that Leo would have brought that up right now, unless it was incredibly serious. Which usually meant bad. And the fact that he wasn't just outright saying why she needed to watch it over comms made her even more on edge. "Alright," She replied finally. "We'll head that way. See you shortly." Then she turned and nodded at her team. It was time to get out of here, once and for all.


	18. Chapter 18

So Eli Morrow was gone....that really threw a wrench into things. Asia tried to pretend she wasn't fuming, when she found out that Robbie had sent Eli on ahead, rather than ensure his safe transport to their Quinnjet. Sure, she didn't exactly understand the bargain he had made with the devil or whatever the hell, but killing someone over making sure his own family was safe, making sure the mission was successful, wasn't okay in her book. 

So when she marched onto the plane and Leo put a tablet in her hand and told her to go into a separate room and watch, she felt even less pleased. She took the tablet begrudgingly and stalked off to an interrogation room on the Zephyr, badging in and letting the door slide shut behind her. She tapped the tablet and the video was already waiting for her, set up by her boyfriend for ease of whatever it was she was about to see. She sat down at the table in the center of the room, and sighed, pressing the play button. 

Director Mace was about to have a debate Senator Ellen Nadeer with George Stephanopoulos as their host and moderator. Asia knew before they even got into it, that this was going to be messy. Senator Nadeer didn't pull any punches, not in politics, and especially not when it came to Inhumans. With Director Mace's new announcement about Shield's release to the public eye, Nadeer would want to fight. 

Asia leaned back in the chair, propping the tablet up and sighing. This was going to be long, even if the video itself wasn't. She watched it all, taking the whole thing in, eyes narrowed as she studied them both carefully, scrutinizing every move they made, everything they said and did. Her eyes narrowed further and further as the video progressed, noting Nadeer called her 'eye candy toted about to gain male followers,' but especially noted what ended the debate.

Director Mace told the entire world that he was Inhuman. For a moment, Asia was surprised, though she didn't show it.

But Asia was good at what she did, really damn good. The thing that surprised her the most about it all, was the fact that he lied.

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"What do you have for me?" Asia asked, setting the tablet down at a side station and moving to stand beside Phil Coulson, who was waiting to brief her as she returned. He stood in front of a screen, turning to nod at her, then clicking a remote to play a short piece of security footage in front of them.

"Agent Fitz found Eli Morrow on the security footage. Lucy Bauer got him near this ambulance here. Watch," Coulson explained, gesturing to the black and white footage. The ghostly figure of Lucy could be seen, holding a hand up beside Eli's head, probably threatening him. Together, the two climbed into the back of the ambulance and Lucy shut the doors. The ambulance drove away, taking Eli with it.

"Odd, she didn't kill him," Asia mused, tapping at her chin as she rewatched the footage again. "So she must need him for something, and I'm going to take a shot in the dark here that it isn't for something very good." 

"You always were pretty good at making an educated guess," Coulson sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as the two of them watched the ambulance drive away for a second time. While they had no guesses of what Lucy might have in plan for Eli, both of their minds could only drift towards the worst. 

But there wasn't time to dwell on those thoughts. Often there wasn't. They had to focus on what they did know, what they did have to work on. And what Asia had to work on was figuring out how to explain all of this to the Director. It wasn't going to be easy. But the fact that he had lied to the world certainly made things easier. And they were going to go back and scope out Momentum Energy Lab. If Lucy Bauer was headed anywhere, there was a good chance that was the place. 

"Let's get everyone moving then," Asia said with a shake of her. "Have May take a team in, just her and a few others. Let me know if there's any issues," She said to Coulson, barely noticing him leave the room as she watched the videos back again, watching Eli Morrow get forced into that ambulance. Something bigger was at play here, with Lucy, the book, and whatever had gone down at Momentum Labs years ago. Whatever it was, they had to get to the bottom of it.

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"We've got agents down," May said over the comms, as she and her small squad of three moved into the building, scoping out the place and checking for signs of life. None of the fallen men and women displayed any sign of vitals. They were all dead, wiped out by a ghost they wouldn't have even seen coming. "Lucy Bauer was definitely here, but she sure isn't now." 

Asia stood beside Leo and Coulson, watching May's headcam footage as she moved through the facility, sweeping every room for signs of someone still around, or why Lucy had come here in the first place. 

"Erm, wait," Leo said, holding up one finger and gesturing towards the screen. "Agent May, I need you to go back and give me a closer look at where the cables connect to that center chamber." He said, eyes squinting narrowly at the screen as he scrutinized what he saw before him. Something here was different, something had definitely changed since he and Mack had investigated last week. "Yea, yea, no, Asia that's different than I last saw it. In fact, there's a number of pieces missing. She must have broken into the facility to take them." 

"So she has the book, and now the power cells..." Coulson trailed off, musing over what this meant for a moment. "My guess is she's trying to replicate the experiment. Un-ghost herself so she can get back to the real world and whatever havoc she wants to wreak."

"That would make sense as to why she took Eli," Asia agreed, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the large table behind her. "He was part of her original team, he would understand the process better than anyone else. She must need him to do something she can't, whether it's because of her lack of physicality, or because he just knows it better than her." It would be far easier to use someone who already knew the project than train someone completely new. 

"Another point of note," Leo explained as the continued to watch May's camera. "Is that Shield owns Momentum Facilities now. She wouldn't be able to reproduce any work there without Shield being heavily aware." He shrugged as if this were the most obvious statement in the world. "So, she must need a new place to work now. She can't rightly try and use that same set up right under our noses. She'll be looking for another similar facility in the area. We can probably track her movements based on that." He looked to Asia and she met his gaze, eyes glowing with approval.

"Great observation, Agent Fitz," She said, a smile rolling over her lips, almost not within her control at this point. She was proud of him, always, but especially so in moments like this.

"May," she said, turning back to the camera as if the woman could see her, too. "Bring your team back, you've all done a good job."

"Roger that, we're on the way," May said with a nod, turning to gather her troops. "We'll see you up there soon." The live footage turned off.

"Right," Asia said, clapping her together and turning to face her team. "That means we've got work to do. We need to stop Lucy Bauer before she can hurt anyone else. Those were lives lost there in that facility, losses which we could have prevented. We can't change that now, but we can move quicker next time. Leo, I want you on recon duty. Figure out where she is, where she plans on heading next. We need to be three steps ahead of her this time. Coulson, can you make sure the rest of the recruits are ready to go? I want everyone suited as soon as Leo has coordinates. No more death, no more loss." She shook her head, hands on her hips. "Not on our watch, not this time."


	19. Chapter 19

"We need to make a pitstop," Daisy said, moving up to grab Asia's forearm as she walked briskly down the halls of the Zephyr, tablet in one hand, coffee in the other. "There's something I need to do, we need to do, for Robbie." 

"Robbie...the guy who let his uncle get stolen by a ghost?" Asia asked, not stopping, pulling her arm from Daisy's grasp as she took a swig of her caffeinated beverage. She wasn't exactly in the mood to be doing favors, not to someone had hurt their mission over a vendetta, especially when she barely knew the guy. So Daisy had a better good reason.

"Asia, look. He's sorry. There's no one who is going to feel the weight of that mistake more than Robbie," Daisy said, grabbing at Asia's arm again and stopping her in her tracks. "He is going to feel that guilt for a long, long time. But there's one piece of guilt we can take away. Robbie has a little brother. A little brother only a short plane ride away from here, who is home alone, has been home alone, and Robbie is the only family he has. He's alone right now, but he doesn't have to be."

At Daisy's words, Asia's mind slowed for a second. Once, that had been here. Alone in her home, waiting for a family which would never come. Never come, until Shield showed up. They could be the family that came for him, if she gave the go ahead. And if she didn't...well, she tried to imagine what would have happened to her if no one ever came. She took a deep breath, then turned to look at Daisy. "Fine. Go get him," she replied, in what she tried to display as a neutral tone. She hated it when these memories came over her, the vague memories of her childhood. They came in hard waves, then tried to drag her back out to sea. But usually, they came as she slept, and she could wake up to end the sharp glass of pain in her chest. She couldn't do that here.

"Thanks, Asia," Daisy said, with a tight lipped smile and brief nod, before she disappeared off down the hall, presumably to round up a pilot for the Quinnjet. It made sense to go get Robbie's little brother, the more she thought about it. That way Lucy Bauer couldn't try and take him as a bargaining piece. Asia waited for a moment, before leaning against the wall with a sigh, forcing the emotions and memories out of her like a pest which needed eradication. She didn't like feeling those things, much less so in public. She preferred the memories stay in her dreams, where they were something she could relatively control.

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"Hey Leo," Asia said in greeting as she walked up to the bridge, a fresh coffee instead. "How are things? Any update on Lucy Bauer or Eli Morrow?" She was hoping for good news. They could move in on good news. Leo had been working with Agent Davis as and aid for the past hour or so.

"No Ma'am," Davis replied almost instantly, his posture straightening. "But, there is some news of note...there's a Quinnjet approaching." 

"A...Quinnjet?" Asia replied pausing. That...didn't seem right. Perplexingly enough, Daisy had already returned to the Zephyr a little while ago, so it wasn't her. And no one else had left since....so this probably wasn't the best sign. It must be someone from Base. Sure, she had told the Director her plans...but they hadn't exactly involved being gone from Base so long. "Shit," she muttered to herself as she put the puzzle pieces together.

Suddenly, as if to answer and confirm her own thoughts of dread, a loud voice of the comms playing through the speakers above spoke. "Agent Monroe. It's Jeffrey Mace here. It has come to my attention that you are harboring two fugitives onboard your aircraft - the Inhuman known as _Quake_ , as well as an enhanced individual who can control fire." Asia stood, as composed as she could be, while her thoughts ran a mile a minute. There had to be away out of this. 

Above, she could feel the small shake of a Quinnjet docking to the roof of the Zephyr. There was no time to get out of this...her Director was already here. "Shit," she muttered again, before Mace continued to speak to them. 

"I am here to take those two into custody," he explained, which didn't come as much of a shock to anyone who was now listening to this announcement. "Please, prepare to be boarded." Asia had a feeling that she wasn't going to think theirs was a team that trusted much longer.

"I have to go get to them," Asia said, setting down her coffee next to Leo and moving at a brisk pace out of the room. The Agents behind her were left to wonder who "them" was referring to. Was she trying to get to Daisy and Robbie? Or this not-so-welcome party that was about to board? Only the brunette who had already left the room knew for sure.

Asia marched down the halls, moving just slightly quicker than normal, making her way to where the ramp would descend from the Quinnjet onto their aircraft. She needed to greet Mace head on, get ahead of this, explain what was going on. Surely, he couldn't think of her as incompetent, so he would hopefully listen if she attempted to reason with him. That was her best shot at a good ending to this right now. Talking her way through things. Asia hated talking her way through things.

But she made her way to the base of the ramp all the same, standing there and waiting patiently for the metal to drop down. This was her battle, and hers alone. After all, these were her people, her ship. Daisy and Robbie were her responsibility now, and she'd be damned if Jeffrey Mace tried to take them away while they still had a mission at hand. 

"Jeff," Asia said in greeting, head cocked slightly to the side, as the ramp finally dropped and she laid eyes on her Director, who made his way down to stand in front of her. He towered above her in height, but Asia felt fairly confident she could take him in a fight. That was the thing that kept her from not feeling like she would drown in his presence. That, and she knew about his lie. 

"Asia," Mace greeted back after a moment, studying her with narrow eyes, but not saying anything further.

"Let me just start by saying I've been learning a lot about time management in my new position here," She said casually, still watching his movement. "And I know that makes you a busy man. I know how important it is to prioritize things which are critical from those which are trivial. I am sure you know the same." Then she frowned at him, her own eyes narrowing. "Knowing and understanding all of that certainly makes me wonder why you got on a plane and spent the time flying half a day to get here. Bit of a wild goose chase. Seems like waste of time to me." 

"Well, Asia, consider this an important life lesson from me," Mace replied evenly, deciding whether or not to call her bluff. "It's not a wild goose chase _if_ there are geese. So, tell me, are you going to deny they are on board?" 

"Geese?" Asia asked, now adopting a look of confusion. "Well, I feel pretty confident saying we have no geese on board. All in all, rather goose free on the Zephyr." It wasn't a lie, technically, based on her own wording. And that was sort of the whole point, wasn't it? 

"Hm." Mace replied, looking at her, his lips quirking ever so slightly. Asia couldn't quite get a beat on him, couldn't decide if he appreciated or disliked the denial. "Well. No matter then." He paused, then without even glancing backwards at his team of six agents, he spoke again. "Find them."

Asia could only hope Mack had gotten her message earlier, could only hope that he was getting Robbie and Daisy to safety. All the same, she stood peacefully, hands clasped behind her back and a small smile on her face. She had to trust her team. She had to hope for the best.


	20. Chapter 20

"You know, Agent Monroe, I've done a bit of digging through your file as of late. Of course, since I started here, but especially now," Director Mace explained as she walked briskly down the hall beside him, only keeping the pace he was already going, not wanting to appear worried or concerned. "You never were one for breaking the rules, it seems. You were a candidate for the next gen of Avengers, the guardians of Earth."

"Still am, as far as I'm aware," Asia replied flatly, "Unless you've decided to take it upon yourself to change that. That's on you." There was a part of her gut that twisted in annoyance at the thought. That was supposed to be her future, her legacy. Hand picked by two of the worlds most deadly agents to fill their spot. 

Mace continued on as if he hadn't heard her speak at all. "Some might even call you a hero, which is a pretty nice notch to have in your belt. You know what I consider to be a hero, Agent Monroe?" 

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me," she muttered to herself, rolling her eyes when he couldn't see.

"I think a hero is a team player, someone who doesn't put themselves first. Who acts selflessly," they stepped into the bridge together, her bridge, where he was now walking around like he owned the place. 

"Are you questioning my dedication to Shield?" Asia asked him after a moment, irritation finally coming to boil. "I've given my entire life to Shield. Everything. I even let you parade me around as a poster child. So I would really, _really_ suggest you don't make that kind of implication." 

"Agent Monroe, I would never denied you have turned up time and time again to do the right thing. But that was all in the past, that doesn't change anything you are doing _now_. And the Agent I read about in those case files would never protect a cold-blooded killer like you are today."

Asia paused for a moment, genuinely not expecting that to be what had come from his mouth. "What do you mean by that?" She asked, hoping he could read just how perplexed she was by that response. 

"Yesterday, your pal with the flaming head killed a prisoner. His name was Santino Noguera. Sure, he was not a good guy. He himself was a murderer with three strikes, but already serving his time in prison," Mace explained, taking a tablet from one of his HR buddies and passing it to her. "The legal system sentenced him to prison, not to death. It seems your friend had other ideas." He turned the screen to show her.

She knew what was coming all the same, but there really is no preparing oneself to see the burnt and charred remains of a once-living human being. She nodded once, quietly, and Mace handed the tablet back to the agent.

"Look, Asia, I get it. I understand the want to protect Daisy Johnson. I do. She's a former Shield Agent, and you guys joined Phil Coulson's team together right around the same time. There's history there." He sighed, shaking his head, putting his hands into his pockets. "But this other guy, he's a problem. One I expect you to deal with. Shield has just become a public figure again after spending so much time in the dark. All eyes are on us, and we can't afford to have ties to a murderer. So. Where is he?" 

Asia stared back at him for a moment, gaze flat, pondering what was the right next move in this bizarre game of 3D chess. Then, she turned and looked at Phil Coulson, who met her gaze. It was like the two were communicating telepathically for a moment. "Phil, please help Director Mace finish the rest of his tour of our ship, help ensure him that we are not harboring anyone on board this plane." _Not a lie_ she thought to herself. Because they weren't _on_ the plane. They were beneath it.

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After the men had left, Asia leaned on the table in front of her and took a deep breath. She let the shakes run through her limbs and then she stood back up straight. Things were going to be...dangerous moving forward. She had to hope that Director Mace hadn't figured out their little plan. She knew they would be headed down to the loading dock, where Robbie's car was waiting. If they could make it through that inspection, they should be clear. She ran a hand through her thick brown hair and then shook her head. She had to get down there. 

She headed quickly down the halls, stopping when she saw Leo approaching her, tablet in hand, frustration in his eyes. "Hey," she said, reaching out and grabbing his forearm. "What's wrong? And don't try and say 'nothing,' I know you too well by now, Leopold Fitz." She looked into his eyes and he looked right back at her, sinking into her familiarity. 

"I think I've gotten a breakthrough on what Bauer would need and the kind of facility which would reproduce that," He explained, stopping her before she could note that that seemed like good news. "Problem is, I need Jemma to look at some of the specs and apparently she's off on some super secret mission and can't bother to reply to a bloody _email_ which would blow this whole thing right open. The sooner we can figure out where Lucy Bauer went, the sooner we can prevent what is probably going to be catastrophic destruction." He looked at her, eyes pleading and frustrated, and it took everything within her not to pull him into a side room and wrap him in her arms and let him know he was never alone, never needed to be this stressed. 

She squeezed his arm, other hand reaching up and resting against his cheek. "Let me see what I can find out about Jemma, okay? I have clearance, whatever you need I'll get it for you." She smiled up at him and his worriedness seemed to waver slightly. Of course she would help him through this.

"Thank you," he said, leaning into her and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How am I lucky enough to have you as a part of my life again?" he asked, grinning at her for a moment, the burden on his shoulders slighted. "You really are incredible."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," she smiled up at him in return, glad to see some of the pain drain from his eyes. "I'll talk to Mace when this witch hunt is over and see what I can find out for you."

He gave her another kiss, this one on the lips, sweet as fresh honey to her tongue. But it lasted for only a moment, as both had places to be, but it was enough to tide each over until the moment where they could be together again. It seemed time itself was quite often built up simply of the moments spent together, and the gaps in-between.

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When Asia rounded the hall into the loading bay, she stopped in her tracks, seeing not only Director Mace there, but also the containment chamber, returned to its usual resting place in the bay. That...wasn't great. "Hey, everyone..." Asia said, stepping into the room. "Well, I know this isn't perfect timing but Director Mace...I need your approval on some redacted information for Agent Fitz. I know we probably have some sorting out to do, but this is our top priority, to find Eli Morrow and Lucy Bauer. So, before we have to have it out about this again, please, just sign these," Asia placed a tablet into his hands, looking at him, hoping her words had gotten through the wall of anger she could see burning in his eyes. 

Mace looked at the tablet then shook his head, handing it away to an Agent in full combat gear. "No, that's not the priority right now." 

"Hey," Robbie called out from inside the containment chamber. Asia wanted to slam her head into the wall when she heard him speak. He was only going to make things worse for all of them, and he definitely didn't need Mace's attention redirected his way. "You know how to find my uncle?" 

Mace turned, slowly, evenly, fixing a gaze cold enough to make even Asia Monroe shiver on Robbie. "You will get a fair trial," he said after a moments pause. 

"But what about my uncle?" Robbie asked, squaring up in the window frame, not really giving two shits about a trial. This was about family right now, not about the legal system.

"When we land, we will take every appropriate action necessary," Mace replied flatly, without even a bare hint of emotion. Then he turned and looked at Asia, the hardened gaze on her now. "Turn your plane around. We're headed back to HQ, where these people will be detained and charged as protocol requires." 

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't think you truly understand the threat level the two individuals we are searching for represent," standing, hands clasped behind her back, stealing herself for what his response would be. She really really didn't want to get fired today.

"With all due respect?" Mace scoffed, shaking his head. "We need to be securing this known fugitive and that killer," he hissed, voice lowered as he took a step towards her, a reaction she didn't much care for. She narrowed her eyes up at him, daring him to speak again. "This is more important than securing a known felon."

"Well it's not just Eli Morrow who is in danger," A voice, familiar and warm in Asia's heart, interrupted his speech. Asia didn't even have to glance over to know exactly who had just entered the room. "I believe what Lucy Bauer is trying to achieve could theoretically affect _thousands_ of people." Leo Fitz continued as he marched into the room to stand in strength beside his girlfriend. 

"Director Mace," Asia spoke up again. "I would argue that Daisy and Robbie are rather secure already, right where they are. They're in Shield custody. We should listen to Agent Fitz's expertise on this," Asia turned now and nodded to Leo, just one sharp, curt nod, but it was enough for him to know that his support was, as always, appreciated.

"Agent Monroe, I would be much more amenable to your requests if you had just been _honest_ with me from the very _start_ ," Mace said, gaze still heavily on Asia. "But at this point you have not only wasted my time, but wasted my goodwill. Now turn the damn plane around and take us back to HQ!"

Now it was Asia's turn to step forward, eyes narrowed, temperature in the room just slightly starting to drop, not enough for anyone but Leo to realize. "Sir, I don't think you want to talk to me about honesty right now." She whispered, her words scarier than a yell. She still had her hand to play, the knowledge she had gained from his little debate. If he really wanted to play the 'whose lied to who' game, she would come right back, tenfold. 

Breaking their tense gaze was the sudden slam of fist on wall, as both turned to look at the containment chamber where Robbie slammed his fist repeatedly against the door. "I am _not_ ," he punched, "Going back," another punch, "To their base." Each series of words was punctuated with another smash. 

"Will it hold?" Mace asked, the terseness in his voice gone, for the moment, as the two settled on a new problem in front of them.

"No one has broken out yet," Asia replied with a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. Robbie really wasn't making things any easier for himself right now. 

"Robbie, stop!" Daisy yelled from inside the chamber, trying to no avail to get him to quit trying to break out. He was only going to make things worse. Her gaze flickered to Asia for a moment, then back to Robbie, as he shouted and continued to hit the door with everything he had. 

And then it happened. Robbie stopped hitting the door, pain contorting his face into a twisted mess as steam started to rise from beneath his jacket. He shook his head, letting out a pained cry as flames erupted, his skin pealing away, revealing nothing but a glowing, orange skull beneath, flames engulfing the entire form. This was it, she was finally seeing his other side for the first time.

Ghost Rider.


	21. Chapter 21

Ghost Rider - Robbie - continued to slam his fist into the door, now each hit imbued with the flames that wrapped around his closed fists. "Is he Inhuman?" Mace asked Asia, not taking his eyes off of Robbie's figure through the glass. He had to hope it would hold. He didn't want to find out what would happen if it couldn't.

Asia paused for a moment, before she spoke, fully aware of how ridiculous the words she was about to utter would sound. "He claims that he made a deal with the Devil," she sighed, shaking her head. 

"Which is rather ridiculous," Leo concurred, shaking his head. "There's no such thing." 

"You know," Coulson said, speaking for the first time in a while as he had been watching the showdown between Agent Monroe and Director Mace. "There is a rational side of me which desperately wants to agree. But," he gestured towards the containment module. "The scull on fire thing is a really compelling argument." The chamber shuttered with Robbie's next slam, causing them all to tense.

"Leo," Asia said, turned to face him, face only displaying the slightest hint of concern. "We're still good here, right?" She nodded towards the chamber, biting her lower lip. 

"Yes, yes, of course," He replied quickly, locking eyes with her. She could tell he was nervous, too. "The module is made with a poly-adaptive material. It's the most sophisticated compound that Shield has." And just as he finished there was the screeching sound of metal ripping and tearing. Asia jolted, eyes turning back to face the chamber, hands out and ready to cast whatever she might need to to protect them. 

The two doors of the chamber flew forward, slamming into the wall before them, and out he stepped, Robbie, but not quite Robbie, and his eyes were locked on them. "That's...That's not possible," Leo stuttered, taking a step backwards. Robbie began to run towards them, fueled by whatever anger he held inside of him. 

Asia grabbed Leo and Coulson, shoving them forward and knocking Director Mace of out the way of the warpath, all of them stumbling towards the wall. As Robbie neared, Asia braced herself, coating her hands with a thick layer of ice, like she was wearing gauntlets of clear blue. As he neared her, she side stepped, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder, using his own momentum to thrust him forward, tossing his towards the hood of one of their black SUVs. As he collided with the metal, she shifted, taking a step back, moving into an adaptive stance ready for the next attack.

But then Director Mace was standing beside her. "Make sure they stay safe, Agent Monroe. I've got this," he said, giving her a sharp nod. She didn't have to be told twice. She quickly moved over to Leo and Coulson, helping move them back towards the module, towards the closet point of get away.

Then she turned back, just in time to see Robbie running at Director Mace, and to see him fire two, what could only be super-powered punches into his chest. She froze for a moment, confused, as his next punch sent Robbie playing towards the ramp. But she _knew_ he had lied on that tape. So what the hell _was_ he?

Robbie was back up in a flash, running at Mace and pinning him against the railing of the stairs leading upwards, his head hitting the metal behind him, yet he didn't falter. He punched Mace straight in the jaw, once, then again. Asia couldn't just stand there and do nothing, so she dashed forward, grabbing at his shoulder. "Robbie, stop, that's _enough_." She shouted, hoping her order would get through to him. 

But he lashed backwards, tossing her towards the far side of the room where she collided with the wall, sliding to the ground in a pile. Instantly, Leo was at her side, making sure she could stand, that she was alright. She nodded at him, taking his hand as he helped her stand, other arm wrapped around her shoulder. Her actions had been foolish, and this was the price she paid for them. "Robbie, stop, please," she called out again to him as he continued to hit Mace, over and over. Eventually, she knew, he would fall. "We'll do what you want, but you have to stop." She didn't know if he could hear her, if he could understand, or even if he could...that he cared at all what she had to say.

Not knowing what else to do, she turned and looked at Gabe, Robbie's younger brother, who Daisy had wheeled out of the module in his chair. Her gaze was pleading. He had to know something that could be done, some way that could stop this fighting. 

Gabe met her eyes, a look of fear in his own that must have come from seeing something this horrifying for the first time. His life growing up had not been easy, but watching his brother turn into the devil and attempt to murder a man was a whole new, dark level that he wished he had never reached. But when he met Asia's eyes, he _knew_ he was the only one that could stop this. The only one who could get through to him.

"Robbie!" He shouted without hesitation. "Robbie, look at me! Stop! Robbie you have to _stop!_ " the young boy shouted, staring towards the thing that his brother had become, hoping to all hope that this worked, that he was heard. 

Ghost Rider paused, hand still in the air ready for the next punch, still holding Mace by the collar of his shirt. He turned, slowly, eyes landing on Gabe. Gabe stared back at him, mouth open, and he shook his head slowly, just once. He couldn't believe that was his brother. That whatever was in him had stolen all of his goodness away and replaced him with _this_. The flames extinguished from Ghost Rider's skull and slowly, oddly, the muscle, tissue, and skin began to grow back over it, replacing Robbie's face as it once was, as if nothing had happened. 

"Get me out of here," Gabe said, shaking his head again, directing the order to Daisy. Silently, she turned his chair around and wheeled Robbie's younger brother away. A silence fell over the room, as all eyes weighted heavily on Robbie Reyes.

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Asia peeled off her long sleeve shirt, looking in the mirror at her bare shoulder that was slowly bruising before her eyes. She reached out and touched the tender area gently with her fingers, wincing only slightly. A quick shower would fix all of that right up, she figured, and then she could get a quick nap in before back to work. That was the life of an agent, never much rest, always lots of work. 

"That looks like it hurts, love," Leo said, stepping up behind her, finger tips like butterflies on the bare skin of her back. Her skin erupted with goosebumps at the touch of him and she had to close her eyes for a moment, fighting not to get completely swept away by him. As her eyes were closed, she felt his lips brush her collar bone, the tip of her shoulder, and she sank into him. 

"Just a bit, but it could have been much worse. I'm not sure Robbie knows his own strength," she muttered, leaning against him, eyes still shut as he gently began to massage her back near her spine, careful to watch the bruised area. 

"Well it's damn good it wasn't," he murmured, kissing her temple, the top of her head. "I would have had to fight him, then, and I think we both know just about how well that would go." Asia opened her eyes to look up at him, a wry grin stretching over her lips as they locked eyes. Full of wit, this one was. 

"It was very kind of you, coming in at the perfect time like that today," she said softly, always aware of how gentle and soft she was around him. It was...weird, but weirdly refreshing. She never needed walls up around him, never had to be the strong front. She could always just be however she felt like being, and he would accept her for that, without question. 

"That's what I'm here for, yea?" he said, bumping his nose to hers. "Plus, Mace needed to know. He wasn't making very many rash decisions, it seems. If he just listened to you more often, we would all be much better for it," his eyes twinkled with a smile. Then, gently, he tipped her chin up and their lips met, a soft, gentle kiss at first, with hunger hiding beneath it. His fingers which were on her spine pressed her closer to him, heat of his touch scalding against her ice cold skin. It was all-consuming, this passionate love she felt for him, he was like the sun rising over the horizon in Alaska, after the long, cold winter which seemed that it would never end. 

They paused their kiss for a moment, needing to catch their breath, the intensity building so quickly that it would envelope them completely if they weren't careful. "Shower," she said abruptly after a moment, cheeks growing red quickly as she giggled with embarrassment. "I'm going to get in the shower, now. You should come." 

He smiled at his girlfriend as he watched her lose the rest of the clothing that clung so tightly to her body, turning slowly to face the shower, reaching in and turning the nob, the water beginning to flow. She glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. Of course, he would join her. There was no world in which he wouldn't. He was lucky to have her, lucky she was his girlfriend. And, he thought to himself, perhaps _girlfriend_ simply wasn't enough. He would have to do something about that, sooner rather than later.


	22. Chapter 22

When Asia woke from her short nap, she was almost immediately briefed on updates to their situation by Mack. Leo had a lead, a facility that had been shut down, owned by a company called Roxxon. May and a small team had been sent ahead in a Quinnjet to get an eye on the place and see what they could find. It was a good sign, a good step in the right direction to finishing this whole thing. But that meant they had left the fun part to her. Explaining to Director Mace why the plane's destination had been rerouted to somewhere completely different.

She made her way to the conference room, the one usually reserved for her own briefings and work, knowing she would find him there. The dim, blue lighting was welcoming and familiar as she entered, but the man sitting in what was usually her chair was not. "Hello," Asia greeted, sliding into a seat across the large wooden table from him. "I'm glad you're still here. There's a few things I want to talk about. Such as assisting Robbie Reyes in collecting his uncle, safe and sound." 

Mace sighed, looking at her, before shaking his head, looking down at the folder on the table in front of him. "Agent Monroe, you should know this better than anyone. We do not negotiate with terrorists."

"I don't think it's really all that fair to describe Mr. Reyes as a terrorist," Asia replied calmly, folding her hands in front of her on the table.

"He attacked us on our own plane, just hours ago. He is a murderer. He threatened to take down this entire plane if we didn't fall in line and agree to his commands. I'm sorry, Agent Monroe," Mace looked back up at her with an earnest look in his eyes. "But if that's not a terrorist, then what is?" 

"Sounds a little Right Wing Media to me," Asia sighed, "But, I do understand your point and you're not wrong." She looked down at her hands, then back up to him. "But, regardless, we still don't have a way to contain him. And we don't know anyone besides Robbie Reyes who can take out Lucy Bauer. We need him on our side." 

Mace thought for a moment, staring at Asia Monroe for a beat, unblinking as he thought. "He will still need to be punished for what he's done." He said after a moment of contemplation. 

"I agree with you," She replied with a quick nod. "After the mission is over. And once we've had more time to figure out how to handle him." She made a fair point, if they brought him in now, they wouldn't have much they could do if he fought back. 

"Is this the point when you explain why the plane turned course?" Her Director asked her, tone not accusatory, just questioning. She wasn't surprised he had asked, and she would have brought it up even if he hadn't. That was half of the reason she had come here to chat, after all.

"You noticed, good," she said with a nod, small smile on her lips. "Agent Fitz had a good breakthrough on possible locations where Lucy Bauer would have gone to try and complete her master plan. We've routed the plane that way. Agent May has taken a Quinnjet ahead to surveil the area."

"Might I get to the know the name of where we're headed then?" Mace asked, leaning back in his chair, looking slightly more relaxed for the first time. "No point in lying at this rate. And you still have a test due." 

"Roxxon Power Station," She replied, as she too now leaned back, hands still clasped in front of her, a sly, nearly wicked grin crossing her lips. "And no, sir, I don't think I do." 

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As they circled above Roxxon Power Station, Asia Monroe changed into her suit designed by Leo and Jemma, veins of blue running through it lighting up, circulating fresh water around her entire system. And built in, a special touch of Leo himself, were her wristlets, same pressure points allowing knives to jut out as she hit, these ones dipped in the same serum that was in the Icer bullets. All in all, she loved this suit. It gave her everything she needed when she was in a fight, and then some. Her two scientists were _brilliant_.

Leo stood beside her, wearing a grey button up and black slacks, holding a tablet that read all the vital signs reading from her suit, ensuring it was preforming up to his very high standards for what she'd be wearing in there. "Yep," he muttered to himself, "Everything looks good."

"Good," Asia mused as they climbed together into the Quinnjet. "Cause it'[s time to go. We can't wait any more." She knew her nerves were a little on edge as well. Something about all of this seemed dangerous...wrong. Like anything could happen and they would be lost, forever. At least they had Robbie, ready to take out the last ghost. That gave them a slight advantage, even if she wasn't sure her could really be trusted.

Daisy and Robbie were already in the jet when they entered. Daisy looked up and she and Asia locked eyes. Things were still pretty frosty between the two of them, the tension practically crackling like electricity between the two women. It hurt Asia, nearly physically, to look at her and know there was no longer that familial bond between them, know that there was love lost there. Daisy had been the other rock in her life, next to Leo, the person she could run to, the person who would hold her hand when she was afraid and watch the world's shittiest TV dramas with her. Without her, there was an emptiness in Asia's soul.

But there wasn't time to speak on it, or even think on it. Mack and Coulson joined them, and May shortly after, jet returned from recon to confirm it looked like the plant was up and running once again. Leo, as always, had been right.

As Mack boarded, Asia looked to him. "Agent Mackenzie, perfect timing. We're all ready for a brief, I think." She leaned casually against one of the walls, as if she wasn't feeling that pang in her chest right now. The Quinnjet lurched as it detached from the Zephyr, piloting them down to a patch of concrete to land. They didn't have much time left.

"They're definitely here," Mack began. "Thanks to the data collected by May and her team, four of which are still down there surveying the area, we were able to confirm the plant started producing power approximately an hour ago. Unfortunately, there's a reason this plant was shut down. The stats we're getting back are high and unstable. It would be very easy for a turbine to blow and destroy the whole facility. The dam could also break, wipe out everything in its path. There's multiple, very destructive, options."

"Ah," Asia nodded with a sigh. "So no pressure at all then." They had to get this done fast, before the worst became reality. 

"What are we waiting for then?" Robbie asked, as the jet touched down, almost as light as a feather.

May turned to Asia, a look of only slight annoyance on her face. "Remind me why he's here again?" She said. "After what he did to you and Mace." 

Asia turned and looked at May, fighting back a sigh or a look of agreeance. "Mr. Reyes wants to ensure the safe recovery of his uncle as much as we want to get this plant shut down. He also has unique qualities that will help us out in there."

"I'm going to make sure I get that ghost lady just like I got the others," Robbie confirmed with a nod, looking at May and hoping she understood where he was coming from.

"And who is here to stop _you?_ " May questioned back, words as sharp as knives.

"Hey guys," Daisy pipped up from where she was tapping at her laptop. "Not to interrupt, but I've got some bad news. I can't hack into the plant's servers from here and shut it down." 

"Well, you are out of practice," Leo muttered, still loud enough for all of them to hear. "Too much punching, not quite enough hacking." 

"No," Daisy replied back, tone sharp and eyes narrowed. "It's because they aren't on a network. Their system predates the internet, and was never updated because they shut everything down. 

"Alright," Asia nodded, thinking quick on her feet. "You heard her. We're going to have to do things on the inside, which is a little less ideal but still fully possible. Agent Fitz, Agent Mackenzie, you two are our engineers. Your primary focus is shutting down the power plant. Agent May, Agent Coulson, Mr. Reyes. We are going to rescue Eli Morrow. Agent Johnson..." she swiveled, her eyes landing on Daisy. "You're staying on the outside with one of May's team. Last thing we want is a quake gone wrong blowing the whole place. You keep an eye out and make sure Lucy Bauer doesn't try to take Eli anywhere once we're inside." 

Daisy opened her mouth to protest, but Asia didn't give her the chance to. "Okay then. Let's do this." She looked to her team, nodding to each of them, and then they disembarked the jet, leaving Daisy far behind. 

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The halls inside the plant where cramped, only wide enough for two of them to walk side by side, and damp, dimly lit. Everything one would expect out of a plant that had been abandoned for years now. Coulson and Mack took the lead, guns out, Asia and Leo behind them, followed by May and Robbie, then the rest of May's tactical team. Daisy gave them radio guidance over comms, ensuring they were taking each correct turn. 

"You'll go west and down one more level, to the control room," She radioed to them from back in the jet. "Also, just as a heads up, it seems the power surges are growing both more frequent, and more intense." 

"Great," Asia muttered in response, "Just what we were looking to hear." They took the small stairs downwards, as the lights above them flickered and static clicked in her ear. "Guys, is anyone's comms working? Mine are down."

"Negative," May replied as she came down the stairs, "Just static." Great, even more good news to add onto what they were already working with. 

"Alright, Mack, Leo, you take May's team and split off," Asia directed. "Go get this thing shut down." She looked to Leo and as their eyes locked, both spoke words no one could see, no one could feel but the two of them. "We'll get Eli. Try and radio if you need us, maybe we can get something if we make it through these surges."

The two engineers left, taking the other foot soldiers with them, leaving Asia, May, Coulson, and Robbie to continue on their way down the dim halls, searching for any signs of where Lucy Bauer might have taken Robbie, but there was nothing. But they kept looking anyways. 

"Well hello hello," a gravelly voice appeared behind them, too close, unfamiliar. "Fancy seeing you here."

As Asia turned around, she saw the woman she was expecting, but still not ready to see. Yellow, partially physical and partially translucent, like a ghost combined with a zombie, was Lucy Bauer, sickening grin on her face. Asia sighed. It seemed, it was time to finally do this. Time to fight a ghost.


	23. Chapter 23

"Find my uncle," Robbie said as soon as he lay eyes on the ghostly, grotesque images before them. "Get him out of here. I've got this." An intensity burned in his eyes, one which they were all too familiar with. He and Asia locked eyes for a moment, a soldier looking to his commander, and she nodded, one sharp nod.

"Get it done," She said quietly, before starting to back up, bringing Coulson and May with you. "We'll see you on the other side." She wasn't certain he caught her last words, wasn't certain she said them for him or for herself. There wasn't time to dwell on small nuisances like that right now. 

They continued down the hall, a small trio, until they saw an open set of double doors, leading into a large room. The set up inside was all too familiar - one Asia had seen only yesterday on May's body cam. In the center was a large, cylindrical chamber which had a faint glow coming from within, surrounding by wiring and various tech stations which could boot it up. 

"This is it," May said solemnly, "They've recreated it, the entire experiment is exactly what it looked like at the other station." She looked to Asia, lips pressed into a tight line. 

Asia frowned, looking around the room, until her eyes landed on something sitting on one of the desks, almost as if it were abandoned. Though Asia knew no one would be foolish enough to abandon this book - they had gotten lucky. She stepped over quickly, picking up the book, feeling the weight of its ancient texts in her hands. The Darkhold. It was large, larger than she had imagined it would be, and heavy. 

"We need to get this out of here," She said, not taking her eyes from the cover. "Now." She looked up suddenly, her face pulled and eyes sharp, a sense of urgency they hadn't seen from her in a long time.

"What about this place?" May asked, "Shouldn't we ensure it's dismantled first so they can't use it?"

"I know that sounds like the most important thing, but if this book is even a half as powerful as I've heard it is, we _can't_ let it fall into anyone else's hands. Hiding it somewhere safe has to be our top priority," Asia said firmly, standing her ground. Everything Leo had told her from his research, everything Mack had briefed her on....this book was bad, bad news. 

She looked up and met Coulson's gaze. "May and I are extracting this. Find Eli, find Mack and Leo, and get out." Her orders were unwavering. If they were going to move, it had to be now, before someone realized they had the book. "Coulson, stay safe. Keep trying to radio us. Anything we shut down might fix our communications. We will be back as soon as we get this to safety."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Coulson replied, a small, fatherly smile on his lips. Watching Asia shine in her leadership role was something that made him incredibly proud. After all, he had helped mold her into this, had given her the tools she needed to let her strength shine like this. "I'll meet you guys here, or on the way out."

"I'm counting on it," Asia replied with a quirked smile of her own, before turning to May with a nod. "Let's get the hell out of Dodge." May nodded back, and the two women were off. After all, there was no time to lose.

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As Asia and May sprinted onboard the Quinnjet, she was surprised to find Mack already there, with a set of soldiers in tow. "Mack," she said, startled, "What are you doing here?" She nodded at May to continue working on getting the book to safety as she spoke with the other Agent. 

"I'm waiting on an EMP getting sent down from the Zephyr," he explained, and instantly Asia's chest clenched with panic. Leo was inside still. Alone. "As soon as I have it, I'm headed back in. We think it'll shut the system down," Mack explained, as if he could sense her nerves.

Still, there was a part of her that forced her to whirl around, to forget the Darkhold, to forget anything else, and stare back at the building in horror as behind her, as she could hear alarms start to spike, going off, as Daisy noted another power surge. Something was _wrong_. Call it instinct, call it intuition, call it whatever you want, but a carnal panic and dread flooded Asia's system as she looked at the power plant that housed not only her team, but the man she loved. And she took off running.

She couldn't have been more than 100 feet away from the entrance when a visible white wind whipped outward from the building, crashing into her and sending her flying backwards, sliding into the pavement below and scraping along her she, tearing a bit at her cheek. The pain didn't even register through the wall of panic building around her. He was in there. She had to go. Every second wasted was one too long. In seconds, May was beside her helping her stand up. 

Asia stared at the building for but the briefest of seconds, though it felt like an eternity stretching within her. This wouldn't be the thing. This stupid, stupid shut down power plant taken over by a ghost would not be the thing that finally split the two of them apart forever. It wouldn't. She wouldn't let it. They had been through sea and space, traveled to other worlds in the galaxy through a portal in a rock. This stupid building wouldn't do this to them.

"We go. Now." She ordered, not even flicking a glance to May or her soldiers. And then she took off running, a flurry of ice-made blades surrounding her as she pushed faster than any of them humanly were capable of. 

She wouldn't have been able to describe the path she took as she ran through the empty halls, everything inside now eerily silent. But she found her way back to the chamber where she had left Coulson. She stood outside for a moment, nearly afraid to go in. She wouldn't have realized how long she was standing there, if it weren't for Mack touching her upper arm, nodding to her, guiding her forward. Together, he, Asia, and May, entered the chamber. The chamber which looked completely normal, untouched, as if a giant pulse hadn't just ripped the energy from the space.

"How...how?" May asked as she cleared the room. "I expected a crater. Everything looks exactly the same." Her bewilderment was what they were all thinking, all feeling. And Coulson was nowhere to be seen. May dashed out of the room, going to the place Asia was afraid to.

"Was it some sort of energy weapon do you think?" Mack asked Asia as he looked around the room. Asia couldn't speak to answer as she stared at the empty space before them. 

May was back in the room only moments later. "There's no Fitz, either," she said quietly, evenly, knowing full well how the words would rip Asia apart, even if she didn't showcase it. "There should be some sort of sign of them. Something." 

Asia closed her eyes, fists clenched beside her, and she pulled all her energy together to send out a strong pulse, sensing every droplet of water inside of this whole godforsaken place. If anyone was here, if anything was here, anything at all with water in it, she would feel it. Her palms shook as she opened them, eyes looking to the ground. There was one signature she felt, and it wasn't him. It wasn't any of her people. Not Robbie, not Coulson, not Leo. It must have been someone else. Eli or Lucy. Her legs wobbled as she stumbled towards a table to right herself, keep herself up. She didn't feel in control. She didn't feel okay. This wasn't okay. He couldn't be gone, he couldn't.

She felt like she should feel something, if he was dead. Like her soul would sense a missing piece that never could be filled again. But she didn't feel empty, she just felt...scared. The temperature around her started to drop as she closed her eyes and sent out a pulse again, searching. Maybe she had missed something.....but no. There was nothing. So she did it again. And again. And again. Before she let out a scream of visceral rage and frustration, one that echoed around the chamber, bouncing off the walls until all that was left was Asia Monroe and her breaking heart. 

She stumbled, knees sinking as she fell towards the ground, only to feel a familiar set of arms around her. "I've got her," Daisy said, probably to Mack. "I'm getting her out of here, to the ship. She shouldn't be here right now. You go get Eli." Her words were calm, even, understanding. After all, who could better relate to seeing a loved one die for their own mistakes but Daisy Johnson? 

Asia let herself be helped up, let Daisy wrap an arm around her and support her as she was practically dragged from the room. She let Daisy get her out of there, into the open air, into the jet. But all she could think was that Leo Fitz was not dead. He couldn't be. She would know it, if he was. She would know.


	24. Chapter 24

Asia didn't really recognize getting on the Zephyr until she was just _there_ , standing in the bridge, with Daisy and Mack beside her, Mace in front of her. May and Gabe were there, too. They were all watching the security footage from inside the plant when the explosion had happened, the force of energy that had sent Asia flying. There were several black and white videos before them, multiple screen displaying it all happening on the play back, in real time as Coulson, Robbie, and Leo experienced it. Four inside, two outside. She watched Coulson pound on the chamber door as Eli Morrow locked himself with. She watched as Leo stepped back from the panel he was working at, hands up, eyes wide. And then she watched the pulsing wave of light crash into both of them, and in a blink they were gone. 

Outside, on repeat, the wave crashed into her running body, knocking her backwards. She touched her cheek where someone had placed a bandage, still not really remembering how that pain felt. The only pain she felt was the emptiness when she looked at the screen where Leo had once been standing.

"This is a tragedy," Mace said after a moment, when no one else could find the strength to speak. "We have to prepare for-"

Daisy cut him off, mid sentence. "Whatever you're about to say, just don't." Her eyes drifted from Asia to Gabe, both of whom didn't need to hear the death speech right now. Maybe that was something Asia spent her life preparing for, but Gabe sure hadn't, and it wasn't going to be easy on either of them. "I see the way you're all looking at that screen, but we don't know what happened yet."

"Daisy," Mack said, putting a hand to her shoulder to stop her. He was pretty certain he knew what happened. They had footage, they'd all seen it. 

"They're not dead," Asia said, speaking for the first time since she had been extracted from the power plant, since their soldiers had died to Eli's wrath. All eyes turned to her, locking in as she stared at the screen still, then looking to Director Mace, face as serious as ever. "Sir, with all due respect. They aren't dead. I would know it. I can't explain it. But I would know." 

No one spoke for a moment. No one dared challenge her and tell Asia Monroe that her boyfriend was dead. That would be...a disaster, to put it lightly. Asia looked at them all, feeling the weight of their doubt nonetheless. She flicked her wrist, so her palm was up, and a small sphere of water rotated in it, floating jut slightly above her skin. "If anyone would know if Leo Fitz was dead, it'd be me. And he's not." Then she crushed her palm shut, the water disappearing with it. "I'll be in the conference room. Send Jemma in when she gets here."

"Agent Monroe, Agent Simmons is on a mission," Mace said, as Asia began to stomp away towards the exit, towards where the conference room would be. "She won't be here any time soon."

"Then pull her out," Asia said, pausing and turning to look at him. "Whatever it is, this is more important. I am telling you, Agent Fitz and Agent Coulson are alive. It is up to us to get them back. So bring me Agent Simmons." It wasn't a question, it wasn't a request. It was an order. The entire room fell silent, but once again no one dared question her. The only sound was that of the door sliding shut behind her as she departed.

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Asia sat in the conference room, head in her hands. She had been thinking over everything for hours now, all the different ways they could make it out of this, get their team back. But nothing seemed to make sense, when she tried to fit it together rationally. All of her thoughts came back to the Darkhold, and that was a path she didn't dare go down. She couldn't go down, not even for Coulson, not even for Leo. No matter how tempting it might be.

The door to the conference room on the Zephyr slid open. They had landed back at base a short while ago, so she could only assume it was Jemma. She looked up, a small flicker of hope warming in her heart, only to have it dowsed. Dr. Radcliffe stood before her, a frown on his lips and sadness in his eyes. 

"Oh, child," he said, running a hand over his child before crossing his arms over his chest, a mannerism so similar to Leo's that it made her heart thud with pain. "How are you holding up? I've...seen the footage. Director Mace sent me to find you."

Asia's hands fell limp to the table in front of her, as she stared at him, hollow in the eyes. "I asked for Jemma," was all she could manage, her lower lip quivering as she spoke. She was threatening to break, and she never broke in front of others, not like this, not if those others weren't Leo or Daisy.

"I know," Radcliffe nodded, moving to sit in a seat by her. "But she's not here yet. For now, you will have to be okay with me. And I am here to help. Daisy told me that you think...that you know they aren't dead." He chose his words very carefully as he spoke to her, studying her face closely, searching to understand, not just to hear. 

"Maybe it's something to do with my powers, maybe it's not," she sighed, shaking her head, looking down at her hands, at the notes she had attempted to scribble on sheets of paper while they flew home alone. "Either way. I know I would feel it if...if he were really dead. Maybe I'm crazy, I don't know." She sighed, raising one hand to touch her shoulder as if Leo's hand rested there, comforting her. "But I'm confident I would feel it. And I don't. He's alive, I'm sure of it."

"Alright then, I believe you," Radcliffe said, without a second thought of it. "So, tell me what you've been working through, it certainly looks like you've taken plenty of notes to have examined several theories." He nodded towards her different sheets of notes on the table before them.

"I....what?" Asia said, pausing when she opened her mouth to speak, face quirking, confused. "You want to...look at my notes?" She was genuinely surprised now, that this clearly rather brilliant scientist, someone who had experience and schooling, wanted her input. "Why?" She asked finally, tilting her head as she studied him. 

"Well, because you seem more an expert on the matter than me. You were there, you've clearly had the time to reflect on it, " Radcliffe explained, then he looked her in the eyes with a kind gaze. "And as much time as I've been lucky enough to spend with Fitz, he's spent much of it telling me all about you. And he has made sure to impress upon me that you are a brilliant woman. You have done everything in your power to ensure you can have challenging, scientific discussions with him, some of which challenge his own train of thought. You may not consider yourself a scientist, but you should consider yourself a scholar." He sighed, clasping his hands in front of him on the table. "So. Let's hear it."

Asia blinked for a moment, cheeks coloring slightly, before she nodded, straightening her papers before her. "Alright. Here's what I have." And she dove into explaining everything she had looked at on her flight home. Everything, including her thoughts on the Darkhold. It was time, after all, to bring her people home.


End file.
